The communities expressed their rejection and highlighted their opposition to fracking which is dangerously being planned in the country, as they know and live the negative consequences the petrochemical industry has on health and nature, such as the case of Papantla.

The communities of this Mexican State have suffered the oil exploitation for over 50 years, which has filled the entire territory with oil pipes and wells, polluting many rivers and streams, in addition to reducing the number of plants and animals in the region. The diseases related to pollution such as cancer, skin, respiratory and hearing conditions is also growing.

The region is lighted with huge towers that burn gas, something that comes hand in hand with hydrocarbon extraction. The breaking of oil pipes, the leaking of chemicals and bad odors have caused the people who live near the pipes to faint and get sick. They live under a time bomb, say the participants of the forum.

This problem tends to worsen with the recently passed energy reform, which includes fracking, a much more aggressive method that implies a high demand for water, which is in turn polluted, thus causing serious environmental and health problems. In Mexico, there are over 1000 wells planned, 500 of them in the North Gulf area, and all throughout the Northern border.

The communities have been resisting in defense of their territories, water and life for a long time: “nobody will fight for us”, they said as part of the conclusions of the event.