Ex-Cancún Official: Corruption Fuels Sargassum Crisis

Cancún, Quintana Roo — In a video titled When Corruption Surpasses Sargassum, Willberth Esquivel, former director of Municipal Public Services in Cancún, issued a scathing critique of the government’s handling of the sargassum crisis. He described the phenomenon as an environmental, economic, and public health tragedy exacerbated by corruption, institutional disorganization, and a lack of political will.

A History of Improvisation and Neglect

Esquivel recounted that since 2012, when he witnessed the first massive sargassum influx, authorities resorted to improvised measures. “The state government’s infrastructure secretary asked me to dump 15 truckloads of sargassum into Cancún’s landfill,” he recalled. At the time, Roberto Borge was governor, followed by Carlos Joaquín in 2016, as the phenomenon grew more frequent and severe.

“2018 was devastating—we thought the Caribbean was ending. 2019 was equally brutal, so much so that the state government attempted to declare an environmental emergency. But we were in the midst of López Obrador’s populist frenzy, where everyone was corrupt except his administration,” Esquivel said, criticizing the federal government’s rhetoric and lack of effective action.

Federal Intervention and Deepening Crisis

The situation worsened in 2020, according to Esquivel, when then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador assigned the issue to the Navy Secretariat, which he called “the beginning of a true tragedy.” He argued that sargassum itself is not the primary enemy but rather the corruption that blocks real solutions.

“The misuse of public funds, lack of coordination between authorities and the private sector, absence of protocols, and failure to support small businesses proposing technological solutions are far more serious problems than the seaweed itself,” he stated.

Environmental and Economic Fallout

Beyond the blow to tourism and declining real estate values, Esquivel highlighted the environmental and health impacts of sargassum: beach erosion, seagrass die-offs, and emissions of hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas affecting coastal communities. He also criticized federal priorities, asserting that sargassum deserved more attention than projects like the Maya Train or the “never-ending bridge” over the Nichupté Lagoon.

A Cycle of Unfulfilled Promises

Despite countless meetings and pledges, Esquivel insisted the problem persists without tangible solutions. “Corruption prevents serious action,” he concluded, emphasizing that without addressing root causes, sargassum will continue to cripple Quintana Roo’s economy year after year.