President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo announced that the Government of Mexico will file a formal complaint with the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), through the National Water Commission (Conagua), for the illegal use of approximately 700,000 cubic meters of water on a property belonging to former Chihuahua Governor César Duarte. A dam, four reservoirs, and a well were constructed on the site without the proper concession permits.
During her morning press conference, Sheinbaum emphasized that water is a national resource and cannot be privately appropriated without complying with legal procedures. She stated that this case is part of a broader effort to regulate water concessions and ensure equitable access to water as a human right—especially in regions facing scarcity.
The president also noted that the recovery of this water volume is tied to the basin involved in the 1994 water-sharing agreement with the United States. She affirmed that the federal government will continue to thoroughly review all concessions to ensure proper use and registration, and will sanction any instances of unauthorized use.
Efraín Morales López, Director General of Conagua, explained that the process to dismantle the unauthorized infrastructure began on May 27. However, a federal judge in Chihuahua, Madhay Soto Morales, granted a provisional suspension through an injunction, temporarily halting the demolition. Morales pointed out that the same judge previously suspended the distribution of free textbooks in the state.
In the context of the 2025 National Water Plan, Morales reported that 17 strategic projects are planned with an investment of 15.729 billion pesos. Additionally, thousands of actions have been registered for water supply, drainage, and sanitation infrastructure through the Social Infrastructure Contribution Fund (FAIS). He also highlighted progress in modernizing 17 irrigation districts, whose development is expected to begin in the coming months across various regions of the country.
