Mahahual, Quintana Roo — The only gas station in this coastal community suspended operations on Wednesday evening, leaving residents and tourism operators without access to fuel ahead of the weekend.
The station closed around 6 p.m. on July 23 without any advance notice, catching locals off guard. Regular customer María Guadalupe González said she arrived to fill up her motorcycle, as she does every Friday, only to learn the station was shut.
“I spoke to one of the attendants, and he said they suspended service because of an administrative problem — apparently they hadn’t paid for some pending permits,” González said.
The closure has caused confusion and frustration, particularly among public transport drivers who depend on the station for daily fuel. Tourism service providers also face difficulties, as the nearest alternative gas station is located 70 kilometers away on Highway 307, at the entrance to the “Vía Corta” to Mérida in the town of Pedro A. Santos.
Social media users shared images of long lines and police officers maintaining order at the closed station as residents warned that the weekend would be complicated without fuel.
