Federal Court Takes Over Roberto Palazuelos Land Dispute Case in Tulum National Park

Tulum, Quintana Roo — Federal magistrates in Quintana Roo have declined to resolve a land dispute involving businessman and former political candidate Roberto Palazuelos, transferring the case to a federal court in Mexico City.

The case centers on Palazuelos’ claim against the National Guard regarding alleged occupation of protected land within Tulum National Park. The Fourth Collegiate Circuit Court of the Auxiliary Center of the First Region, based in Mexico City, will now handle the appeal in the form of a constitutional protection review that Palazuelos has filed.

According to reports, this judicial body in the capital has taken over the case file, even though the dispute originated within Quintana Roo’s jurisdiction.

“This Collegiate Circuit Court takes charge of this matter solely for issuing the respective ruling. It is referred to the rapporteur in charge of Magistrate José Alberto Arriaga Farías, so that the corresponding draft ruling may be prepared,” states the case file from the Mexico City judicial body.

In November, when the case was still with local authorities, former PRI deputy Berenice Polanco Córdoba, now a federal magistrate, was designated to prepare the resolution proposal for the land possession conflict involving Palazuelos in Tulum National Park.

The dispute stems from a claim and confiscation of federal property carried out by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp) because one of Palazuelos’ hotels, the Diamante K, occupies the protected zone.

Palazuelos, who lost a Senate bid for Quintana Roo, requested federal judicial protection against the confiscation in 2024. The National Guard executed a restriction, but the Third District Court issued the definitive sentence in the indirect constitutional protection lawsuit, case 756/2024-II, determining not to grant federal judicial protection to the controversial television actor.