Business Leaders Warn of Legal Uncertainty Over Maya Cultural Symbols in Quintana Roo

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The Caribbean Business Coordinating Council (CCE) has expressed concern over recent Supreme Court rulings regarding the use of Maya cultural symbols, warning they could create legal uncertainty and affect thousands of businesses in the region.

The business group said the adopted criteria open the possibility of sanctioning or even shutting down establishments for using Maya cultural elements, without clear rules or defined guidelines on who has the authority to authorize their use. This situation directly impacts tourist destinations like Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, where Maya culture is an essential part of the identity and economic appeal.

The CCE warned that the problem is not limited to Maya culture, as this precedent could extend to other cultural expressions in the country, generating a broader impact on how Mexico protects and projects its heritage.

As an example, they mentioned the case of Grupo Xcaret, which despite having celebrated agreements with recognized entities within the legal framework, faces rulings that, according to the group, disregard those efforts and place it in a state of legal defenselessness.

The business group emphasized that the risk is that any company — from large tourism developments to small businesses — could be subject to complaints, sanctions, or closures, opening the door to discretion and potential abuses.

However, the CCE del Caribe clarified that it supports the Federal Law for the Protection of the Cultural Heritage of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Peoples and Communities, considering it a necessary advance to prevent historical abuses in the use of these communities’ identity. However, it insisted that its application must be based on clear rules, uniform criteria, and well-defined mechanisms.

“The problem is not protection, but the lack of legal certainty,” the group emphasized, reiterating that the business sector has been an ally in promoting and disseminating Maya culture, in addition to contributing to generating economic benefits for communities.

In that sense, they made an urgent call to authorities to draft and publish the regulation of that law, whose absence — they claim — is the main cause of the current uncertainty.

Finally, the CCE del Caribe requested opening an inclusive dialogue with authorities and involved actors to build viable solutions, warning that the lack of definitions not only puts a sector at risk, but the economic stability of the entire Mexican southeast.