A homeowner in Atenco, México state, is wondering if the cancellation of Mexico City’s new airport will allow her to keep her house.

The house owned by Nieves Rodríguez, 59, for the past 21 years lies on the route of the Ecatepec-Peñón highway, one of many infrastructure projects whose future remains in limbo after President López Obrador announced cancellation of the airport project.

Work on the highway surprised her, she said, because no one had consulted her or warned her that her house would soon be in the middle of the new road.

“I found out when I started to see a lot of movement. I noticed they were raising the road more and more, and I was still here. I thought, ‘I’m not worried, this is my land, it’s my house,'” said Rodríguez.

Then a year and a half ago a representative of the construction firm paid a visit.

“They told me they needed to move my house . . . and that if I was not OK with that they would have to expropriate,” she recalled.

Despite the cancellation of the airport project work on the road continues, Rodríguez said, as do the threats of expropriation.

The woman is not alone. Some farmers from Atenco who have set up a camp in her backyard claim the project destroyed hillsides and resulted in the illegal occupation of land and illegal mining operations.

“I am not the only one opposing the airport; all I want is to live in peace,” said Rodríguez.

Source: Criterio Hidalgo (sp)