Analyst Warns Yucatan Peninsula Could Become Caribbean’s New Panama, But Must Tackle Crime

Monterrey — The Yucatan Peninsula could become the Caribbean’s new financial center, potentially replacing Panama, but only if authorities crack down on criminal groups operating in the region, according to analyst Antonio Navalón.

Navalón made the assessment during an appearance on the podcast Al Punto on the Código Magenta platform, where he analyzed the geopolitical reconfiguration of the Caribbean region, a process he said is being driven by the United States and began this year with Venezuela.

“This reorganization of the Caribbean has no turning back,” Navalón stated.

He argued that the Yucatan Peninsula faces a pivotal moment. “It’s not about the presence of U.S. aircraft carriers or ships off Cozumel or Isla Mujeres,” he said, “but about consolidating the region as a real alternative for concentrated development in the Caribbean.”

Navalón pointed to Panama, suggesting it cannot simultaneously function as a financial center and a hub for illicit “black” funds.

Refuge for the World’s Worst Mafias

The analyst issued a stark warning about the situation in Quintana Roo, a state on the peninsula. “What is happening to Quintana Roo? It has become a refuge for the world’s worst mafias. Control has been lost,” he said.

He criticized local authorities, claiming the existing power structure “has not wanted to, has not known how—or worse, does not win in votes, but in money—in the face of this reality.”

Navalón cited condescension towards taxi drivers, price gouging of tourists, and, above all, providing a “safe” haven for criminal elements as factors that have pushed the state to a critical point. “All of this has no turning back,” he added.

He emphasized that the lack of control by officials has contributed to Quintana Roo being perceived as a refuge for criminal groups.

Regional Economic Context

This analysis comes amid broader economic and logistical integration projects in southern Mexico designed to offer complementary routes to the traditional Panama Canal.

One such project is the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a mega-initiative aiming to connect the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico via modernized railways and ports between Salina Cruz and Coatzacoalcos. While this corridor does not yet match the capacity of the Panama Canal, it is emerging as a long-term logistical alternative and investment hub for global companies.