12K Signatures Oppose Cozumel’s Fourth Pier Project

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — During the fourth and final informational forum titled "The People Decide," held this Sunday in Cozumel, Senator Gino Segura announced the compilation of a citizen-led dossier containing over 12,000 signatures, along with thousands of citizen letters, technical arguments, and social testimonies, to formally request the cancellation of the fourth pier project.

Accompanied by local authorities, specialists, and organized citizens, Segura confirmed that the dossier will be submitted in the coming days as a review appeal to Mexico’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), under Articles 83 to 86 of the Federal Administrative Procedure Law.

A Democratic and Citizen-Led Effort

In his address, the senator emphasized that this initiative stems from the organized efforts of Cozumel’s residents, built through four informational forums where testimonies, arguments, and proposals were gathered to outline an alternative development vision.

"These forums were deeply democratic exercises and reflect the living voice of a community that has organized for years to defend the sea, the reefs, and a tourism model that ensures prosperity for all families. Let there be no doubt: the people of Cozumel have already decided—no to the fourth pier," declared Segura before hundreds of attendees.

Next Steps: A Permanent Tourism Council

Additionally, Segura announced the upcoming establishment of a Permanent Council for Shared Prosperity Tourism, where citizens, service providers, civil organizations, and authorities will collaborate to design a new sustainable and equitable tourism model with direct benefits for the island’s families.

The final forum included remarks from Cozumel Mayor José Luis Chacón, local legislator Renan Sánchez Tajonar, and Quintana Roo’s Secretary of Ecology and Environment, Óscar Rébora.

"Cozumel must defend its reefs, biodiversity, and public access to the sea. The dossier we will submit carries legal weight, but above all, it has social legitimacy," reiterated Segura.

A Commitment to Environmental Justice

The event concluded with a pledge to continue pursuing the cause until SEMARNAT revokes the project’s environmental permit, ensuring Cozumel strengthens its identity as a model for regenerative tourism and territorial sovereignty.

"I recognize all the citizen organizations, environmental collectives, and defenders of the territory who have led this cause for years. I also thank those who have contributed from grassroots efforts, scientific research, and personal testimonies. Thank you for your participation," Segura concluded.

The forum underscored the community’s resolve to protect Cozumel’s ecological and economic future, marking a significant step in the ongoing opposition to the controversial pier project.