In the final stretch of the sexennium of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) approved the sale of the Monterra Energy Terminal to Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) for an amount of around 320 million dollars. This transaction faces criticism, as it is considered to impose additional pressure on the finances of the state-owned oil company.
Experts like Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Grupo Financiero BASE, question Pemex's decision to acquire more properties instead of selling unprofitable assets to address its debt, which currently amounts to 99 billion dollars. Over the coming year, Pemex will face the challenge of disbursing 21.6 billion dollars to meet its financial obligations.
Siller suggests that Pemex prioritize resolving its financial problems, including a debt of more than 126 billion pesos with suppliers and contractors, before considering expansion plans. Mariana Campos, general director of México Evalúa, highlights that Pemex's debt significantly exceeds the capital of its assets, which raises the need to seek solutions and alternatives for the company.
On the other hand, Ramsés Pech, partner at Caraiva and Asociados-León & Pech Architects, comments that while the purchase of the storage terminal in Tuxpan, Veracruz, could help cover variations in consumption in the Valley of Mexico, Pemex has other important priorities to address. These include the management of lithium, the incorporation of oil reserves, strengthening fuel marketing, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Moreover, the organization Justicia Transversal Mexicana (JTM) has expressed concern over the "non-operational" state of the Tuxpan terminal, warning that its reactivation could represent a significant environmental risk for the drinking water sources in the region. Mauricio Santiago Eder, a lawyer for JTM, stated that the terminal was closed in 2021 due to structural failures and qualifies the purchase as a waste of public resources that could trigger a political crisis for the next government.