It was not a “natural disaster”; it was a social catastrophe!
—CST Mexico
Mexico is once again at the center of global news. This time, however, it is not due to the capture or extradition of drug lords. Nor is it due to the migration crisis on the U.S. border or Trump’s latest threats against the government of the country he considers his most submissive colony. This time, the international media’s attention is focused on the tragedy experienced by the people of Poza Rica and other municipalities in Veracruz and other Mexican states. These floods have caused hundreds of deaths, a similar number of missing persons, and thousands of victims. Additionally, thousands of homes have been destroyed. Many students are among the dead and missing. The destruction and irreparable losses are enormous. It is still difficult to quantify. As always happens in such disasters, the working class and the impoverished are the most affected.
As always, governments at all levels, other institutions, and companies were negligent in preventing the disaster and absent in assisting the victims. They only appear to be trying to evade their responsibilities. Four days after the disaster, it is deplorable to see that the “servants of the nation” — the officials from the ruling Morena party — are barely registering victims in order to process requests for aid. It is repugnant to witness the actions of some “opposition” politicians who show up for “the photo” and speculate on electoral gains. President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference was also regrettable. She is more concerned with measuring the number of “bots” that criticize her than with the number of victims, missing persons, and the real magnitude of the disaster.
The city of Poza Rica deserves special attention
It is an industrial municipality in the northern part of the state of Veracruz. Decades ago, it was one of the most important oil and petrochemical centers in the country. It is also a historical landmark in the Mexican oil industry. The collective memory of Poza Rica contains many workers’ struggles and catastrophes with heroes and martyrs.
This is in memory of Luis Arturo Aguirre, the other anonymous heroes, and all the victims of the October 10, 2025 flood. A former worker at the Gas Processing Complex (CPG) offers an eloquent testimony:
“The CPG has historically suffered floods, the most memorable of which was on October 5, 1999, and devastated the region. But nothing compares to what happened this time.” Based on that experience, workers were instructed to be alert to the rising waters of the Cazones River, which borders the facilities. They were given a crucial instruction: keep the bunker doors open. Had they not done so, the force of the water would have sealed them shut, turning them into death traps.”
Shortly before 5:00 a.m. on October 10, 2025, the water burst in with unexpected fury, taking everyone by surprise. They immediately followed emergency protocols: shutting down the plants and putting them into “safe mode.” This action was heroic. Had this not been done, the systems would have released gas into the atmosphere, creating a toxic cloud due to its sulfur compounds (SO₂, H₂S), which are highly explosive. Instead, the gas was diverted in a controlled manner to the burners, safeguarding the facilities and the city’s safety.
While this was happening, other workers were fighting for their lives inside the flooded complex.
A fundamental clarification is in order: At no time had Civil Protection, at either the municipal or state level, requested that PEMEX prepare an audible warning protocol for the population in the event of an emergency of this nature. The enormous mass of water from the San Marcos River in the Puebla Mountains continued its deadly advance toward neighborhoods such as Morelos. No warning was issued until approximately 5:30 a.m., when officials from the former Northern Region Production Subdirectorate (formerly PEP) were awakened and asked to authorize the activation of an alarm inside the field. By that time, the order came too late. The flood had already overtaken the city without warning or alert.
There was no effective evacuation plan. There were no visible preventive measures. The future of the CPG deserves special mention. It may not recover from the damage it suffered. Even if it does, it could take at least eight months to recover, which would compromise the future of the new plant in El Escolín.
Had the CPG workers not acted professionally and panicked, not following their procedures before leaving their workplace, the city would have awoken under a toxic cloud. This would have been reminiscent of the tragic 1950 hydrogen sulfide gas leak that plunged Poza Rica into mourning. Thankfully, that did not happen. However, the tragedy took the life of an excellent worker, a good friend, husband, and father who fulfilled his duty until the very end.
Those who did not know—or did not want to know—what could happen, whether due to inexperience, ineptitude, or other reasons, were the municipal, state, and federal governments. They had satellite images to monitor the flooding minute by minute, monitoring stations from the National Water Commission, and personnel throughout the river basin. However, they limited themselves to issuing a generic warning of possible flooding without mobilizing assistance for the population beforehand.
While the Ministry of Education suspended activities until Friday, other institutions, such as the Universidad Veracruzana, did not. The bus station and central market, usually bustling at that time of day, received no warning. While the CPG was drowning, most of the population was asleep, unaware that death was approaching. We already know the outcome, even though authorities, including state Governor Rocío Nahle, are trying to downplay the catastrophe by minimizing the number of deaths, damage, and losses.
They cannot claim that this disaster was unpredictable!
Twenty-six years ago, a similar catastrophe occurred for the same reasons: the Cazones River overflowed, flooding the western part of the city. In 26 years, no infrastructure has been put in place to protect the densely populated area from flooding. The Pemex company is clearly responsible for contaminating the Cazones River with hydrocarbons, and the so-called “authorities” are clearly negligent! All levels of government must respond: municipal, state, and federal.
The rector of the University of Veracruz must also respond. There are several conflicting reports: on Facebook, surviving medical students mention thirteen deceased classmates. Other reports speak of 192 missing UV students, but the rector claims that “only two” are missing. The collective Familiares en Búsqueda María Herrera will begin searching the disaster areas with the help of the Comisión Nacional de Búsqueda.
To prevent concealment, simulation, and electoral manipulation of this tragic event, we demand the establishment of an Independent Investigation and Expertise Commission. This commission should include student and worker representatives to objectively verify the absence of prevention measures, the magnitude of the disaster, and the number of victims and affected families.
The most urgent and indispensable task
In the face of the absence, insensitivity, and ineffectiveness of state institutions, the effective and spontaneous solidarity of the workers and people of Veracruz and other states is once again omnipresent. Food collection centers, humanitarian aid, and rescue brigades are being set up. One notable initiative is the Conference of Resistance, led by CNTE teachers, which established a collection center for non-perishable food, medicine, clothing, and personal and household items. The center is located at Belisario Domínguez 32, Col. Centro, CDMX.
Despite difficult economic conditions, the actions of Mexican society, led by working people, are at the forefront. Workers always lend a helping hand. However, it is urgent to demand that northern Veracruz and other regions be declared a humanitarian emergency:
*A special emergency tax should be imposed on large capitalist businesses and transnational corporations, especially those in the state of Veracruz.
*The state should use these resources to provide all necessary aid, including medicine, food, clothing, and basic supplies, to the thousands of victims. Special equipment must be guaranteed for search crews looking for the missing.
*The self-organization of surveillance brigades by working-class neighborhood inhabitants must be developed to defend against looting, which occurred quickly in the absence of police amid prevailing misery and chaos.
*All hotels, vacant houses, schools, and official facilities should be made available to house, feed, and assist those who have lost everything.
