The Mayan Train is not only one of the emblematic mega-projects of the Mexican Government, headed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), but it has also been one of the most controversial because of the different points of view held by environmentalists regarding its construction and those who consider that it will bring great development to the development of the Mexican southeast. It is in the news again due to a photograph shared by the president, in which a strange figure can be seen, which in his words may be an alux.
On his official social networks, the president shared two images taken during supervision of a section of the Mayan Train. Regarding one of the strange figures, he said it was taken three days ago by an engineer and shows “apparently an alux.” The other, by Diego Prieto, is “of a splendid pre-Hispanic sculpture in Ek Balam.” “Everything is mystical,” he wrote as a capstone to his publication, which was widely shared.
President López Obrador provided no information about the state where the image was taken. However, the governor of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama, announced that AMLO is in the state, supervising the works of the Tren Maya (Mayan Train).
Within minutes, the word “aluxe” became a trend on Twitter, and several users left their input on the matter. Some indicated that the photograph the President shared is from 2021 and was shared by a user saying it was a witch and was taken in Altamira, Tamaulipas; others said it was from Terán, Nuevo León. To support their arguments, they attached screenshots of the news.
What is an alux?
According to the portal México Desconocido, aluxes are, in Mayan mythology, small elves that live in natural places such as jungles, caves, and cenotes. They resemble humans but are small in stature, approximately knee-high to the average person (hence the name of the companion of the wrestler Tinieblas).
The vox populi says that the aluxes dress like ancient Mayans and play tricks on those who do not leave them their offerings. They can also frighten or protect travelers and people who visit their favorite places. But they are not only naughty or mischievous. They are also grateful and help those who leave them offerings when building or planting, as they make the corn grow, calls for rain, and watch over the fields at night, whistling to betray thieves.