Long lines, guarded fuel stoke Mexico's gas crisis

Mexico’s president vowed Saturday to redouble his fight against an epidemic of fuel theft after thieves punctured a pipeline north of Mexico City, causing an explosion that killed at least 89 people and injured many others.

The blast underscored the deadly perils of the fueltheft racket, which has cost the government billions of dollars a year and has been the target of a weekslong crackdown by the administration of Mexico’s new president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

So how did the country get here?

Fuel thefts

Criminal gangs known as huachicoleros have long targeted the thousands of miles of pipeline that run through Mexico, often in rural areas, carrying gasoline from refineries to distribution points. They tap into a pipeline, siphon gas and resell it, or they work with corrupt insiders to steal the fuel.

The cheap, stolen fuel has created an alternative market in many rural communities, but it has also cost the government dearly. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said some 60 billion pesos, or $3.14 billion, in fuel was stolen last year.

These illegal taps can also be dangerous.

What has the president done?

As part of the crackdown begun by López Obrador, who took office in December, pipelines vulnerable to theft have been shut and the fuel has been diverted to guarded trucks, a slow and logistically complicated process.

Pemex, the state-run energy company, said the new transportation methods had caused delays in the delivery of gasoline to service stations. The long lines, it said, did not result from actual fuel shortages.

“Pemex appeals to the general public’s support and understanding,” the company said in a statement. “These operations will undoubtedly translate into benefits for all Mexicans.”

Earlier this month, López Obrador deployed 4,000 military and police personnel to secure strategically important portions of pipeline, which stretch some 375 miles and ordinarily transport around 400,000 barrels of gasoline per day.

How is the crisis affecting Mexicans?

Metropolitan Mexico City, with a population of more than 20 million, has had days of shortages. Gas stations have been forced to close, businesses reliant on fuel for transportation have suffered, and millions in losses have been reported.

While the president’s strategy may have slowed thefts in the short term, experts say the current strategy is unsustainable.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador