Residents of Playa del Carmen’s Las Torres de Paz Demand School, Land Titles and Relocated Power Lines

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Families living in Las Torres de Paz, a cluster of roughly ten settlements outside this Caribbean resort city, are pressing for a school, legal title to the land they occupy and the relocation of high-voltage power lines, a community leader said.

Quetzal Dzab González, an Indigenous and environmental activist, said those needs must be taken into account in any decisions about the region’s future following the recent arbitration ruling between the Mexican government and Legacy Vulcan, the U.S. company tied to the operations of quarry and port operator Calica.

González argued that moving or removing the electricity towers would allow the settlements to advance toward regularization and improve safety for the families who live there.

“Las Torres de Paz has grown and there are now around ten communities,” he said, insisting that residents need education services and legal certainty over the plots they occupy.

Uncertainty Over Calica’s Land

González, working with environmental adviser Raúl Benet, has pushed for action in defense of the communities and the natural surroundings that he says were damaged by Calica’s activities over the years.

He said officials must define what will happen to the land the company still owns inside the Felipe Carrillo Puerto Flora and Fauna Protection Area, as well as to the infrastructure built there.

Among the pending issues he cited is the Punta Venado dock, built by Calica, whose concession remains valid until 2037, according to the information presented.

The activist said it must be made clear who will be responsible for that infrastructure and under what conditions it can keep operating in the new scenario created by the conflict between the company and the Mexican government.

For the residents of Las Torres de Paz, he said, any decisions on these lands must address the communities’ needs, particularly in education, legal certainty and environmental protection.