A minimum of 13 passengers lose their lives and ninety-eight hurt in train derailment in the nation of Mexico.

A deadly railway accident in the Mexican state of Oaxaca has claimed the lives of at least 13 people, an incident likely to revive critical opposition regarding the speed and management of the country's flagship government projects.

The accident happened on the Interoceanic Corridor train, a route developed to connect the Atlantic and Pacific across the narrowest part of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. This project was intended to establish an alternative rail cargo route to the Panama Canal, aimed at driving commercial progress in the area.

“We are going to meticulously determine what caused this incident,” declared the country's president.

The official confirmed that, of the around 250 passengers on board, another 98 were injured, with five of those in grave condition. The president noted plans to visit Oaxaca to confer with those impacted.

Major Initiative of Former Government

The Interoceanic Train was a signature public works project of the immediate past president, whose term concluded the year before. This rail line was intimately linked to his leadership's strategic agenda for the southeastern region.

Another ambitious train initiative from that period, a tourist and cargo loop around the Yucatán Peninsula, was also central to the wider plan to stimulate the economic fortunes of a relatively less developed part of the country.

Construction Oversight and Worries

The construction of both train projects was managed by the nation's military, marking a dramatic expansion of its duties in civilian works. They were completed at an rapid pace, defying predictions to be at least partly inaugurated before the end of that presidency.

However, this fast-paced schedule had concurrently fueled ongoing questions over construction quality.

• Sunday's crash was the third occurrence on the Interoceanic Train in the current year.
• This involves an earlier crash this month when a train struck a truck at a railroad crossing.
• The other major rail project has also seen several non-fatal derailments.

Demands for Review and Suspension

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the chief of a primary political opposition demanded an urgent halt in the building and running of all comparable projects.

This pause was requested while awaiting a comprehensive technical review. The party declared that the tragedy "requires prompt explanations."

In reply, the president asserted that the train had been running in complete accordance with all safety requirements. Assurances were given that the government would be "responsible" in both the construction and management of these strategic initiatives.