Restoration of historic buildings in Mexico shows progress

Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) reaffirmed that the restoration of buildings damaged by the earthquakes of September 7 and 19 , 2017 in 11 states (Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco, Puebla, Estado de México, Morelos, Guerrero, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, Veracruz, and Ciudad de México) will be financed by the Federal Government through the National Disasters Fund (FONDEN) , the National Reconstruction Program , and Banorte Insurances .

“The declaration of emergency in each state enabled the Built Cultural Heritage institute to receive financial resources from the FONDEN to undertake 252 repairs for a cost of over MXN$5 billion . This special resource is guaranteed, meaning that it does not come from the federal budget and was made available for immediate action,” the INAH reported through a press release.

In the case of Banorte Insurances, according to INAH, the company will compensate all losses and damages to buildings and material goods under the care of the Institute for up to MXN$3.5 billion per event. Both earthquakes occurred in September 2017 will be taken into account by the institution.

Mexico’s Federal Government

provided MXN$800 million for the restoration of “historic buildings and items damaged during the earthquakes which did not have the financial resources to undertake restoration.”

The INAH implemented a Master Plan and Restoration Program to repair 2,340 immovable and 13,385 movable assets damaged by the earthquakes, out of which “around 659 temples and 193 items found within, as well as 20 archeological areas,” had been restored as of February 15.

As for the Juchitán Municipal Palace in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, the institute indicated that, in order to prevent any further deterioration, the government used resources from the Preliminary Immediate Actions Program (APIN) for repairs. Several studies of ground mechanics, structural reforms, and archeological soundings have been conducted to develop a structural project that may guarantee the building’s stability.

The municipal centers of Tlayacapan and Jojutla , both in the state of Morelos, showed severe structural damages, according to the INAH.

Tlayacapan’s municipal center has now been structurally reinforced and the restoration project for the municipal center of Jojutla began in January.

Tlayacapan: A once magical town in the state of Morelos

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