4T’s Third Report Sparks Pier Opposition

QUINTANA ROO — For the first time in the history of the municipality of Othón P. Blanco, which is home to the state capital, a government report will be delivered in the tourist zone of Calderitas, outside of Chetumal. This was, without a doubt, a good political move bearing the stamp of the Fourth Transformation and of Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa, who has been characterized by performing acts that do not violate protocol.

But why Calderitas? In June, the state governor delivered the rehabilitation of viewpoints, the restaurant area, and the tourist pier, among other works, to the inhabitants of that tourist spot. The investment for these projects totaled 43 million pesos.

The government report, in this case the third, will attract the political and business classes, who will surely leave a significant economic spillover, thereby benefiting the residents of Calderitas.

Opposition Faces Off Against Punta Brava Pier

Civil society organizations in Puerto Morelos and Cancún are creating a front of opposition against the Punta Brava pier. In WhatsApp groups, they are calling for the collection of signatures to begin the legal defense of Punta Brava, which has official environmental protection.

The area is classified as an Environmental Management Unit M-2 under a conservation policy within the Model of the Ecological Land Use Planning Program (POET) for the Cancun-Tulum Corridor.

Activists point out that this means land uses in the area must be governed by conservation criteria, and any project that implies the deterioration of ecosystems or loss of biodiversity goes against the current regulatory framework.

Furthermore, they state, the area harbors species listed in NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 and protected by the General Wildlife Law, including hard and soft corals, sea turtles, jaguarundis, migratory birds, mangroves, and seagrasses.

They warn that the project is being pushed without transparency or consultation and exposes this region to a process of industrial urbanization that seriously compromises the environmental health of the Mexican Caribbean.

Ana Paty Peralta Bolsters Her Presence

The municipal president of Benito Juárez, Ana Paty Peralta de la Peña, has increased the activities on her agenda. For the past couple of months, she has been seen inaugurating paving works and the rehabilitation of streets and avenues; attending events with workers and business leaders; and collecting sargassum, among many other activities.

The young mayor has not overlooked the polls that name her as one of the favorites for the state governorship. The question is whether she will maintain this pace of work, and the answer might seem more than obvious. This dynamic, however, benefits the municipality of Benito Juárez, whose electorate are beneficiaries of the mayor’s government actions.