Activists Denounce Mangrove Damage From Paradisus Hotel Expansion in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Environmental activists have accused the Paradisus Meliá Internacional hotel of illegally encroaching on an ecological conservation zone and damaging protected mangrove ecosystems to expand guest facilities.

The activists — Adriana Rosas, Cristina Pérez, Alán Rivera, and Carlos Jiménez — said the hotel destroyed an environmental education space where children learned about coastal ecosystem preservation. They allege the hotel used heavy machinery to clear approximately 1,000 square meters of mangrove forest, compacting the ground for expansion.

According to the activists, the hotel removed native vegetation including chit palm and sea lily, both protected species, and damaged the coastal dune near the shoreline. The area is designated as a conservation zone under Playa del Carmen’s Urban Development Program.

The group filed a complaint with the Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) on May 1, 2026. They also reported that hotel security personnel intimidated activist Carlos Jiménez Arredondo, threatening him and restricting his access to the area. Jiménez filed a criminal complaint with the Quintana Roo State Prosecutor’s Office, which opened investigation file FGE/QROO/Sol/06/4824/2026.

Adriana Rosas called the environmental damage and intimidation “serious.” She said the hotel’s workers removed equipment used for environmental awareness programs that were conducted on federal maritime-terrestrial zone (Zofemat) land.

The activists argue the hotel’s actions violate Mexico’s General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA). They said the hotel aimed to install beach loungers in the conservation area.