Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has exonerated Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) from responsibility for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which has spread from Veracruz to Tabasco. She announced that the Attorney General's Office (FGR) is investigating the 'criminal' liability of a private company. Sheinbaum assured that Pemex is carrying out the ocean and beach cleanup work and downplayed the impact of the incident at the Dos Bocas refinery. 'The main thing was a ship from a company that had this spill, and Pemex is helping to clean it up,' she declared. She detailed that both the Federal Prosecutor for Environmental Protection (Profepa) and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) are participating. She promised that her government will provide 'all the necessary resources to help the fishermen.' According to the head of the Executive, the spill was allegedly caused by a ship from a private company. 'All investigations are still being carried out, and we also asked the Attorney General's Office to intervene, because ultimately there is already a criminal offense. So, it is not a Pemex spill, but Pemex is doing everything for the cleanup,' she clarified. Sheinbaum stated that she had requested Pemex director Víctor Rodríguez to travel to the area to personally oversee the cleanup efforts. She estimated that the shipping company will have to compensate for the damages. 'And, in addition, there is what happened outside the Olmeca Dos Bocas refinery, which could have had some implication in the spill, but in any case, it is minor. Therefore, it is necessary to be certain of who caused this spill and the implications this has in administrative terms, which would be Profepa, and even criminal, which would be the Attorney General's Office,' she added. Greenpeace claimed that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is 'out of control,' as it continues to spread and now affects 630 kilometers of coastline, representing the entire Southwest Gulf Reef Corridor. According to the organization, despite authorities stating that the beaches are clean and Pemex reporting 85% progress in the cleanup, information from the Gulf of Mexico Reef Corridor Network and communities shows that 'most of the beaches have not received cleanup.' 'There may be support, but the company has to compensate for the damages.'
