Indigenous Leader Questions Fate of 15 Million Pesos for Maya Cultural Use

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The president of the National Indigenous Assembly for Autonomy (ANIPA), Hermelindo Be Cituk, has questioned the destination of funds from an agreement between Grupo Xcaret and the so-called Gran Consejo Maya, stating that 15 million pesos reportedly handed over never reached indigenous communities.

In an interview, the activist asserted that the council does not represent Maya peoples and claimed the money received was never distributed among the indigenous population. “That money never reached the communities,” he said.

Be Cituk supported the decision by Mexico’s National Copyright Institute (Indautor) to disavow the private agreement signed between Grupo Xcaret and the Gran Consejo Maya, arguing the latter lacks legitimacy. He maintained that those who make up the organization were appointed without a consultation process. “They were set up as a civil association by the state government, without election by the communities,” he stated.

The indigenous leader noted that the use of Maya cultural elements is not limited to private companies but also occurs in government-backed projects. “There’s the Maya Train, there’s what they want to open, Maya Kaan,” he indicated.

Be Cituk said there is no blanket rejection of using Maya symbolism but emphasized that communities must be included in decisions regarding their heritage. In that sense, he proposed the need for an open consultation to define the terms under which these cultural elements can be used.

The activist insisted the main issue lies in the lack of clarity over the management of economic resources from such agreements, particularly the 15 million pesos in question.