COAHUILA / DURANGO, Mexico — More than a thousand citizens took to the streets across the Comarca Lagunera region to protest the continuous overexploitation of their water supply and voice fierce opposition to a newly proposed industrial plant.
The demonstration drew a massive crowd that marched roughly six kilometers from the Puente Plateado—the bridge connecting Gómez Palacio, Durango, and Torreón, Coahuila—all the way to the main square (Plaza de Armas) in the municipality of Lerdo, Durango. Throughout the two-hour march, the streets echoed with the unifying chant: “Agua sí, amoniaco no” (Water yes, ammonia no).
The primary catalyst for the protest is the planned installation of the Fermachem fertilizer plant in Lerdo, a joint federal and state project designed to produce urea and ammonia. Protesters and environmental groups have heavily criticized the development, labeling it as “ecocide, not progress,” due to the high environmental risks it poses to an already fragile ecosystem.
In addition to halting the plant, the mobilization aimed to defend a crucial legal victory. Activists are demanding that authorities respect Ruling 543 by the Supreme Court of Justice, which officially recognizes that government bodies have neglected the protection of the local La Laguna aquifer and legally mandates its recovery.
Upon arriving at the Lerdo square, organizers from the environmental collective Canto al Agua began gathering citizen signatures to formally uphold the Supreme Court ruling and legally challenge the industrial project. Activists emphasized that the region’s priority must pivot toward environmental restoration and immediate water conservation rather than introducing water-intensive chemical operations.
Source: Vanguardia
