Cozumel’s Illegal Pier Shut Down by Officials

Cozumel, Mexico — A pier under construction on the Antigua Costera Sur highway, located approximately at kilometer 10, was shut down this Thursday by authorities from the Department of Urban Development and Ecology for lacking official permits.

Roberto López Mena, the director of the department, explained that the project had previously been suspended and that those responsible had been notified about the illegality of continuing the work. "The people behind the project were informed that they could not continue with this, as they do not have any permit for the construction of the pier," he stated.

The closure was executed this Thursday because, in addition to the lack of permits, the construction represents an environmental damage to the local ecosystem. The official reported that concrete structures attached to the water were found at the site, with perforations and anchors lacking proper technical supervision, in addition to damage to adjacent wetlands.

López Mena warned that justifications of community use will not be permitted as a pretext for illegal authorizations. "If you allow this, tomorrow you will find twenty similar works," he indicated.

He added that the corresponding procedures will be carried out to sanction those responsible, although the amount of the fines has not yet been quantified. The authority recalled that the responsible company had previously been sanctioned in another project known as Deck 48, where the first stage was completed under a valid permit, but the second was started without authorization.

Despite requests from the owners to regularize the situation, authorities will maintain the closure due to the environmental damage and the lack of legal documentation. The actions will continue until the necessary repairs are made and compliance with current environmental regulations is guaranteed.