Calica’s Legal Battle Over Protected Area in Playa del Carmen

Calica, a quarrying company, has initiated legal action against the declaration of a Protected Natural Area on its lands in Playa del Carmen. This move comes after the former President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, halted quarry extraction in the region.

The Ninth District Court has accepted an indirect injunction lawsuit filed by Rancho Piedra Caliza, a company established by the American Vulcan Materials Company in Mexico. Rancho Piedra Caliza owns the land where Calica has been extracting quarry material for over two decades for export to the United States.

However, the federal judge did not grant a provisional suspension against the declaration, arguing that it goes against the social interest of environmental conservation. The judge emphasized that the declaration is directly related to the implementation of a conservation program for a natural area.

The Felipe Carrillo Puerto Flora and Fauna Protection Area, which spans more than 53,000 hectares in Solidaridad, Tulum, and the mainland area of Cozumel, was declared a protected area last September by the former president. Approximately two thousand hectares of this area are owned by Calica, and the declaration prevents quarry extraction activities, which is Calica's primary business.

According to the injunction lawsuit, Calica alleges that the Mexican Government failed to notify them about the declaration of a Protected Natural Area. In a hearing scheduled for November 26th, Calica will attempt to obtain a definitive suspension against the effects of the declaration, while the entire legal process continues.

The constitutional hearing, which will decide the outcome of the lawsuit and allow the federal judge to issue a verdict, is set for December 6th. However, the Federal Government has not yet responded to the claim, potentially prolonging the legal process.

Currently, Calica is also pursuing an international lawsuit, demanding $1.5 billion in compensation from the Mexican government for halting quarry extraction in Playa del Carmen. This case is being handled by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), but the process is currently at a standstill.