Judge Rejects Injunction to Protect Sac Actún Cave System From Riviera Maya Highway

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — A federal district judge in Cancún has denied an injunction aimed at protecting the Sac Actún cave system, the world’s second-longest flooded cave network, from a highway being built in the Riviera Maya.

Cave diver José Urbina Bravo, a member of the Playa del Carmen-based groups Cenotes Urbanos and Selvame MX, said the courts showed no concern for the region’s water, jungle or biological corridor.

“We do not agree with the district judge’s decision to deny the injunction, because the saddest part of this situation is that the environmental consequences are not being discussed in any way — they don’t care about the water, the jungle, or the main biological corridor that is the habitat of wildlife,” he said.

Urbina Bravo described the ruling as a legal maneuver that lets the justice system avoid confronting the project.

“It is a ploy in which the legal apparatus absolves itself of any responsibility to deal with the illegal act being carried out with the construction of a highway. They are mocking everyone and the law,” he said.

“The construction of this highway far exceeds the width of a rural road, and it is not meant to bring out harvests. This is not ‘social justice’ for farmers; this is jungle they want to sell to the highest bidder, and they are carving it into little pieces, killing flora and fauna without any consideration,” he added.

He argued that the decision over the cave system’s fate does not belong to the courts alone.

“Judges are not the owners of the water or the jungle. The jungle has to be respected for the good of everyone. Now we have to contend with every initiative, every voice raised to defend the environment, against lawyers who are paid to exploit our natural resources — and that is the saddest part,” he said.

A Submerged Archaeological Treasure

Activist Elías Siebenborn said Sac Actún is far more than a tourist attraction.

“It is not just an attractive cave. It is considered the most important submerged archaeological site in the world and one of the most significant geological wonders on Earth,” he said.

The system spans hundreds of kilometers of flooded passages and connects more than 200 cenotes, with over 370 kilometers mapped so far, making it the second-longest flooded cave system known.

According to the activists, Sac Actún acts as a giant artery safeguarding the heart of the Yucatan Peninsula’s aquifer. It supplies fresh water to the entire region, feeds directly into the Mesoamerican Reef System, and is home to unique endemic species, including small crustaceans considered among the oldest life forms on the planet.

Activists Blame Government Neglect

Liliana Flores said the ruling reflects a broader disregard for the environment.

“Without jungle there is no water, and the government system is turning its back on natural resources when they should be the guarantee of humanity’s security,” she said.

Flores said the government lacks environmental education and argued that the judge’s decision shows “ignorance and greed for economic power,” even though environmental law clearly requires natural resources to be protected.

Activist Roger de la Mora said Quintana Roo is already in the grip of an environmental and public health crisis, and he accused officials of ignoring the reality beneath the surface.

“Government authorities don’t want the truth and don’t want to understand the harsh reality, because water is not openly visible — it stays underground,” he said.