Beach Access Dispute Prompts Zofemat Intervention in Xcalacoco

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — A dispute over beach access in the Xcalacoco area escalated Saturday, prompting officials with the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) to remove a barrier and seize three jet skis and two boats.

The altercation broke out between owners of properties near the shore and people offering jet ski tours from the same access point. The two sides disagree over the legal status of the path leading to the beach: property owners say the land remains private and functions only as an easement, while the watercraft operators use it to reach the sea.

Miguel Ricardo Novelo Cárdenas, identified as one of the property owners, said municipal authorities have never formally designated the route as a public street. “There is still no street defined by the municipal government,” he said. “Playa del Carmen officials, including the Zofemat director, know this point well: there is no defined street, and it remains private property.”

Novelo Cárdenas added that part of the land belongs to the family of Mario Alberto Pazos Moguel, while other adjacent lots in Xcalacoco are held by families whose rights go back decades. He said his own family has documents showing ownership of the land since 1942, and that part of the property has been maintained as a “window to the sea” in the hope that it could eventually become a public access point.

Following the confrontation, Zofemat personnel took down a mesh fence placed across the access and took custody of three jet skis and two boats. Novelo Cárdenas said some of the watercraft belong to his group and he will await the legal process to recover them.

He also said four people who operate in the area have threatened him and displayed possibly criminal behavior. Novelo Cárdenas said he pays about 28,000 pesos in general user fees and another 9,500 pesos for a protection and maintenance concession related to Zofemat — payments he said cover his use of the coastal zone.

The dispute over who may legally offer watercraft services at the access remains open. Authorities notified the parties to appear Monday before the Zofemat directorate to review and analyze the situation.