The Santa Lucía Air Force Base, established in 1952 to relocate the Balbuena Military Air Field, officially inaugurated its aerodrome on 24 November 1952, during Miguel Alemán´s administration. The complete transition of aircraft from Balbuena to Santa Lucía occurred in 1959. The aerodrome featured a runway measuring 3,780 metres (12,400 ft) in length and 75 metres (246 ft) in width, boasting the widest paved runway in Mexico at the time. It was named "General Alfredo Lezama Álvarez" in honor of its commander from 1961 to 1964. Felipe Ángeles Airport's conversion as a civilian airport has been in response to congestion challenges at Mexico City International Airport, a longstanding topic in Mexican politics since the early 2000s. The airport, constrained by its location in a densely populated area, faced limitations in infrastructure expansion due to urban constraints, limited runway space, and congestion during peak hours. Large infrastructure projects in Mexico, notably in transportation, have historically been key elements of presidential legacies. This is due to centralized decision-making, their symbolic importance for progress, and the desire of leaders to leave a lasting impact. In 2002, President Vicente Fox unveiled an ambitious plan for a new, expansive airport on 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) of land in the municipalities of Atenco and Texcoco. This proposal aimed to address the congestion issues at Mexico City International Airport and meet the growing demands of air travel. However, the Atenco project faced significant opposition and controversy, particularly from the Community Front in Defense of Land (Spanish: Frente del Pueblo en Defensa de La Tierra, FPDT), an organization representing locals who would be displaced by the airport's construction. The protests against the project culminated in violent clashes, leading to the cancellation of the new airport. In 2014, President Peña Nieto reignited plans for a major airport infrastructure project with the announcement of the Texcoco Airport. Positioned as Mexico's most significant public infrastructure undertaking in a century, the Texcoco Airport was designed to replace the aging Mexico City International Airport by 2023. Faced with mounting opposition and controversy, President López Obrador, then a presidential candidate, campaigned against the ongoing Texcoco Airport construction. The new Mexico City Airport quickly became a focal point of intense and conflicting political discourse in Mexico, reflecting a broader ideological clash within the country regarding economic models and governance strategies. Upon winning the presidency, López Obrador fulfilled his campaign promise to reassess the Texcoco airport. He initiated a referendum in the first half of October 2018, organized by the Arturo Rosenblueth Foundation and a group of citizens. This referendum aimed to measure public opinion on whether to complete the Texcoco Airport or proceed with the Santa Lucía expansion. However, the process faced criticism for lacking official validity and not adhering to established legal procedures. Controversy also arose over potential challenges in accurately interpreting the results. Despite the controversy, the referendum took place, and the results favored the construction of the Santa Lucía project. A significant majority of participants (69.95%) voted in favor of Santa Lucía, while a smaller percentage (29.08%) supported the continuation of the Texcoco project. Although the informal nature of the survey raised some controversy, it influenced the decision to proceed with the Santa Lucía airport. Subsequently, López Obrador's administration moved forward with the expansion of the Santa Lucía air base into an airport, officially named Felipe Ángeles International Airport. Construction started on 17 October 2019, following the lifting of multiple judicial suspensions against the project, primarily due to environmental and cultural study concerns and lack of transparency.