Federal Judge Allows Clearing Over Sac Actún Underground Rivers, Citing Lack of Evidence

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — A federal judge has allowed the continued clearing of jungle over the Sac Actún underground river system, rejecting an injunction sought by environmentalists who warned of severe ecological damage.

The Fourth District Court denied the suspension requested by the group Sélvame MX, ruling that the amparo petition did not specify which elements put the coastal ecosystem at risk.

The clearing, carried out by the Mexican Army with heavy machinery, is part of a project to build an asphalt road on ejido land adjacent to the Dos Ojos park, a cenote zone in the Jacinto Pat ejido near Xel-Ha. Work has intensified since early 2025 and had previously been shut down by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Profepa).

Raúl Aldama Gavilán, attorney for Sélvame MX, expressed disappointment with the ruling but said they would file a complaint within the amparo proceedings. “We are preparing a complaint against this denial… The court argued that no imminent danger of irreparable harm to the environment was proven,” he said.

The amparo was filed by José Urbina Bravo, founder of the organization, who has documented the situation. During recent visits, the group found that the leveling work with heavy machinery risks collapsing the cave ceilings that protect the Sac Actún underground rivers.

The group criticized the road project, saying it bypassed environmental impact assessment procedures, similar to what they claim happened with the nearby Tren Maya project.