In the crook of Mexico’s elbow lies the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, the country’s skinniest strip of land, where the Atlantic and Pacific are just 200km apart. Winds from the west power electricity-generating turbines, the lush soil supports lemon, mango and other crops, and it is the heart of a vibrant indigenous Zapotec culture. The brightly coloured embroidered blouses and skirts, immortalised by Frida Kahlo, are still daily attire.
But it is also home to some of Mexico’s poorest communities. A powerful earthquake in 2017 caused devastation only four years after a hurricane pummelled the isthmus simultaneously from both shores.
Now, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the frontrunner in Mexico’s July 1 election, has his sights set on the gateway to Mexico’s deep south. He wants to revitalise a rail corridor across the isthmus that could act as a Panama Canal-lite, opening up a short-cut to the Atlantic.