U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville and Congressman Gary Palmer both Tuberville and Palmer both issued statements on Monday denouncing the Mexican military’s takeover of a Vulcan Materials port in the Yucatan. The Mexican Navy and police forces seized the Vulcan Materials Company owned port facility in Mexico’s Quintana Roo state last week. Both Tuberville and Palmer condemned the seizure that has been ruled illegal by a Mexican District Court.
“This armed takeover of Vulcan’s property shows just how corrupt the Mexican government has become,” said Rep. Gary Palmer.
Birmingham-based Vulcan Materials Company is America’s largest supplier of construction aggregates, including gravel, sand, and crushed stone. The company also markets ready-mix cement products and asphalt. Most of the company’s quarries are in the United States, but it also owns a facility in Quintana Roo, Mexico, and one in Canada.
“For more than 30 years, Vulcan Materials Company has operated a limestone quarry in Mexico that has created good jobs both in Mexico and in Alabama,” Sen. Tuberville explained. “Yet time and again, President [Andrés Manuel] López Obrador and the Mexican government have undermined Vulcan’s ability to operate in Mexico. Last year, I urged President [Joe] Biden to confront President López Obrador about the Mexican government’s aggression toward Vulcan Materials. As usual, President Biden buried his head in the sand. President Biden’s failure of leadership has only emboldened Mexico to continue taking hostile action against Vulcan that puts employees at risk and jeopardizes our supply chains in the southeast region of the United States. The illegal seizure of Vulcan’s port facility is just the latest example of the Mexican government exploiting President Biden’s weakness, and the situation will only get worse until the President addresses it head on.”
Last May, Sen. Tuberville sent a letter urging President Biden to take action against aggression from Mexican President López Obrador after the Mexican government ordered Vulcan to shut down quarrying and extraction operations on one of its three active mining parcels, despite its owning the property and possessing all the necessary permits for lawful operation.
Tuberville also spoke about the issue on the floor of the U.S. Senate, where he warned how the Mexican government’s actions against Vulcan Materials Company could potentially disrupt international supply chains.
“This is a gross abuse by the Mexican government to which President Biden must immediately respond in the strongest possible terms,” Rep. Palmer stated. The unjust takeover of a private American enterprise should cause every American company to reconsider locating in Mexico. If the Mexican government can do this to one company, they can do it to all. The Biden Administration should immediately respond to this assault against an American company and demand the Mexican government withdraw from the Vulcan Materials facility. It is essential the Biden Administration acts to protect America’s interests, or it will risk other actions against American companies.”
The armed takeover of the Vulcan facility last Tuesday stems from a dispute between Vulcan and Mexican-based cement company CEMEX over use of the facility. The agreement for CEMEX to use the facility expired in December. CEMEX employees accompanied the security forces last week during the unlawful takeover of the Vulcan port terminal. CEMEX needed to use the facility to unload one of its ships.
“We are shocked in Cemex and in the Mexican government entities that supported this reckless and reprehensible armed seizure of our private property,” Vulcan said in a statement.
The Mexican government shut down Vulcan’s Mexican quarries last May, claiming ecological damage. While headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico, CEMEX operates on four continents and in 50 countries, including the U.S.
Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama) denounced the actions of the Mexican government in a statement on Sunday.
Congressman Palmer is in his fifth term representing Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District. Tuberville is in his first term in the U.S. Senate.
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