Environmental Group Alleges Illegal Urbanization in Playacar, Files Lawsuit

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — An environmental advocacy group has filed a legal challenge against local authorities over what it calls a wave of illegal urban development in the Playacar complex, particularly a project named Macondo.

Defendiendo el Derecho a un Medio Ambiente Sano (DMAS) said several real estate projects are operating without required federal environmental impact permits, despite being located in protected coastal ecosystems.

“Residents of the Playacar condominium approached us for legal help regarding several developments within the complex that were being carried out without any federal environmental impact authorization,” said attorney Irma Morales. “These developments are in a coastal ecosystem, and issuing this permit is the federal government’s responsibility.”

The group has filed an amparo — a type of injunction — against the municipality of Playa del Carmen and the state Secretariat of Ecology and Environment (SEMA), alleging they improperly granted construction licenses and state-level resolutions, usurping federal authority due to the coastal location of the projects.

Morales said the ecological damage is already severe. Jungle clearing has displaced white-tailed deer, whose habitat has been fragmented without clear relocation protocols. Although a federal court issued a provisional suspension, activists report that workers continue construction without visible closure seals from Profepa, the federal environmental enforcement agency.

“It is urgent that action be taken, because if not, more damage will continue to be done, and who knows, maybe the work will even be finished and there will be nothing left to mitigate,” Morales warned. “Municipalities are improperly exercising their powers and granting construction licenses with which they start building. This is extremely serious and has been the cancer of Quintana Roo in environmental matters.”