Pemex distances itself from oil spill on Veracruz coast

Pemex has denied responsibility for the spill. But the company has been involved in several such incidents in recent years. The most recent was in October in Veracruz, where 2.7 million litres were recovered from the Pantepec River following a leak in an oil pipeline.

Both Jicacal and the neighbouring town of Las Barrillas, also in Veracruz, are fishing villages and local tourist destinations. The spill has also impacted the local tourism industry, discouraging visits to the coast.

“What we are interested in is cleaning up the entire beach,” said Nicolás Vargas, a tourism service provider in Las Barrillas, who said that otherwise, tourists will not visit the area.

(Written by Adriana Barrera; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)