Defiant Builders Ignore Chac Estuary Closure Order

Cancún, Mexico — Construction work continues in the Chac estuary, defying a federal closure order issued by the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa). The protective tarps bearing the word "closure," which the federal agency placed during an inspection on July 29, have been removed.

Three months after the initial report of ecocide in the Chac estuary, the challenge to federal authorities and the environmental damage persist as the work has not stopped. Around the shuttered palapa structures, recently planted grass is visible, intended to conceal the filling of the wetland area with sascab, a fact noted by Profepa during its inspection.

The palapas, the land, and the wooden walkway have been detailed, and the "closure" tarps placed by the federal agency have been taken down. This follows a public denunciation that prompted a visit from state authorities to verify the damages.

According to neighbors, who omitted their identities for fear of reprisals, workers are constantly observed at the site intermittently, operating in this manner to avoid drawing attention.

"Hace unos días, trajeron pasto en camionetas y lo comenzaron a colocar, otro día otro tanto y así, van trabajando sigilosamente sin llamar la atención," said a neighbor identified as Lorenzo.

Ejido landowners from Juan Sarabia continue to wait for authorities to apply the law against those responsible for the ecocide, hoping it will not go unpunished as has occurred on previous occasions during the administration of Ernesto Haro Gutiérrez. He is accused of dispossessing ejido landowners of their established plots along the canal bank and filling them in, despite the area being composed of wetlands.

"Fueron clausurados por la Profepa, pero nunca se le fincó ninguna responsabilidad a pesar que les entregamos las evidencias," they stated.

Novedades de Quintana Roo first exposed the ecocide in the Chac estuary on July 14, revealing that the area along the bank had been filled with sascab. The affected zone is at the first curve of the Huay Pix settlement, where a concrete walkway covered in wood and several palapas, one of them very large, were also constructed, all without the required permits.

At the time, representatives of the Citizen and Scientific Council for Restoration and Preservation warned of the damage to the ecosystem and the consequences for adjacent sites, noting that this area is the outlet of the Chac stream, which passes beneath the Huay-Pix bridge—the only exit and highway in the southern part of the state.

On July 31, Profepa announced the closure of the unauthorized construction work. This followed an initial inspection on July 11, during which they observed filling activities with sascab material (a mixture), three palapas, one cabin, and bathrooms. Additionally, a wooden walkway or pier was observed along the margin of the Chac Estuary. According to a statement issued by the agency, no person responsible for the works was found at the site.

Subsequently, on July 29, inspectors returned to the location situated on lands of the Juan Sarabia ejido. Authorization from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) regarding environmental impact was not proven. Consequently, the temporary total closure of the activities was imposed as a security measure, and the corresponding administrative process was initiated. The agency is evaluating the probable damage caused to the area's natural resources.

Three months later, the ejido landowners are still waiting for the law to be firmly applied, hoping it will set a precedent to ensure the protection of this area, which is considered fragile due to being surrounded by wetlands, mangroves, and Chit palm, species protected by environmental laws.