"Atlanticazo" in Las Grutas - January 4, 2024 PH

The report analyzes disinformation surrounding the Saguaro Project, finding that a significant portion of content on Facebook (43%) and YouTube (39%) used misleading narratives to frame the fossil gas project as a climate solution and driver of economic growth. Government accounts and media outlets were primary sources of this content, often employing 'transition fuel' rhetoric to legitimize the project despite its environmental impacts and legal challenges.

• On Facebook, 43% of the 134 analyzed posts contained disinforming narratives, which were predominantly misleading and delay-oriented. These posts focused on job creation, economic benefits, and the energy transition, with government accounts being the primary source at 48%.
• On YouTube, 39% of the 120 analyzed videos contained disinformation, with 82% of those being misleading. These narratives emphasized energy security, emissions reductions, and clean energy, with 79% of the framing focused on economic consequences.
• A strategic communication effort across both platforms sought to legitimize the Saguaro Project as a climate solution and part of the energy transition, despite the project's reliance on fossil fuels.
• The Saguaro Project involves a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Puerto Libertad, Sonora, with a capacity of 15 million tons per year, and the 800 km Sierra Madre Pipeline crossing 16 municipalities in Chihuahua and Sonora.
• The 'Whales or Gas' campaign, comprising over 30 civil society and environmental organizations, created a counter-narrative highlighting risks to marine ecosystems, such as whale collisions and noise pollution.
• The project has faced significant legal and administrative hurdles, including amparo lawsuits that halted construction and a March 2025 report from Semarnat stating that the current administration had not issued environmental authorization.

APA

Aguila, J. C. (2025). "Atlanticazo" in Las Grutas - January 4, 2024 PH. Roots. https://poweredbyroots.org/media/pages/highlights/fellowship-for-countering-disinformation/a32f341d93-1762968918/mexico-case-study.docx.pdf

Chicago

Aguila, Jacqueline Cruz. "Atlanticazo" in Las Grutas - January 4, 2024 PH. Roots, 2025. https://poweredbyroots.org/media/pages/highlights/fellowship-for-countering-disinformation/a32f341d93-1762968918/mexico-case-study.docx.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Aguila |first1=Jacqueline Cruz |title="Atlanticazo" in Las Grutas - January 4, 2024 PH |publisher=Roots |date=November 2025 |url=https://poweredbyroots.org/media/pages/highlights/fellowship-for-countering-disinformation/a32f341d93-1762968918/mexico-case-study.docx.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{aguila2025atlanticazo, author = {Aguila, Jacqueline Cruz}, title = {{"Atlanticazo" in Las Grutas - January 4, 2024 PH}}, institution = {Roots}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://poweredbyroots.org/media/pages/highlights/fellowship-for-countering-disinformation/a32f341d93-1762968918/mexico-case-study.docx.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }