Cancún Residents Protest Construction of New SEMEFO Facility

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Residents of Supermanzana 510 took to the streets again Tuesday night to demand that authorities halt construction of the new Forensic Medical Service (SEMEFO) facility at Avenida Politécnico and Avenida México.

A week after the protests first began, residents said they have yet to receive a formal response from officials and warned they would intensify their actions if they continue to be ignored.

Carrying banners, placards and signs, the group marched through several streets of Supermanzana 510 before reaching the construction site, where they reiterated their opposition to the project. They argued that the facility represents a public health risk and would harm the quality of life for people living in the area.

Protesters said that during a signature drive among neighbors, they were told the land would be used for a vehicle inspection center run by the Institute of Mobility. They later discovered that the site was actually intended for the new SEMEFO, a situation they described as a deception.

They recalled that after last week’s first protest, representatives from the State Prosecutor’s Office and the city council made contact with them and promised to hold a dialogue meeting Tuesday to present answers to their concerns. However, residents said the officials did not attend and did not respond to messages asking about their absence, prompting Tuesday’s demonstration.

Residents also pointed to what they called a problematic track record at the current SEMEFO facility, in Supermanzana 44 on Avenida Andrés Quintana Roo. They said people in that area have repeatedly complained about foul odors coming from the building and feared a similar situation could recur in Supermanzana 510.

They warned that odor problems could affect nearby families, schools and businesses, and put children and adults at risk.

Finally, they said that if they do not receive a concrete response from state and municipal authorities in the coming days, they will consider blocking major roadways and taking other actions to pressure officials into addressing their demands.