Mennonites in Yucatán Defy Authorities, Harm Ecosystems

Mérida, Yucatán — The Mennonite community in Yucatán is causing severe environmental damage and has confronted authorities with weapons when attempts are made to halt their activities, according to Alicia Isabel Adriana Bárcena Ibarra, head of Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).

Environmental Damage and Armed Resistance

During an interview with journalist Carmen Aristegui on Tuesday, June 17, Bárcena addressed the mass die-off of bees affecting the Yucatán Peninsula and other parts of Mexico. She emphasized that Semarnat is closely monitoring crops in areas inhabited by native species, such as the Melipona bee in Yucatán, Campeche, and Quintana Roo, to coordinate conservation efforts with Mayan communities and local beekeepers.

However, she singled out the Mennonite community in Yucatán as a major contributor to environmental degradation, citing their use of prohibited pesticides that harm bees and ecosystems.

"The Mennonites in Yucatán are truly a grave environmental problem," Bárcena stated. "They are bringing in soy, genetically modified corn, and applying harmful pesticides, and there’s no stopping them."

Illegal Deforestation and Land Use

The environmental damage extends beyond pesticides. Less than a month ago, illegal logging was reported in the Bala’an K’aax reserve in Yucatán, an area inhabited by Mennonites, prompting intervention by the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa). Earlier this year, 11 hectares were deforested in the Puuc Biocultural Reserve, another region where Mennonites have settled.

Bárcena also warned of the aggressive tactics employed by the community when authorities attempt to intervene.

"If local landowners continue selling their properties to the Mennonites, we won’t be able to stop them—and that’s a serious problem," she said. "We’ve tried to halt their activities, and they’ve confronted us with weapons."

She urged local farmers and ejidatarios (communal landowners) to refrain from selling land to the Mennonites, citing the introduction of transgenic crops and banned pesticides as major ecological threats.

Government Response

Bárcena outlined ongoing efforts to mitigate the crisis, including collaboration with the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (Inecc) to identify the pesticides responsible for bee deaths and long-term ecosystem damage.

"We are analyzing the mortality of bees and determining which pesticides are affecting them," she explained.

Historical Context and Broader Concerns

The Mennonites’ presence in Yucatán dates back to 1987, but their expansion has raised alarms due to deforestation and land-use changes. In April 2024, local media in Quintana Roo reported a large wildfire near the Bala’an K’aax reserve, suspected to have been set by Mennonites to clear land for agriculture.

Raquel Flota Báez, a member of the Indigenous Council of José María Morelos, accused the community of deliberately burning land to facilitate changes in soil use.

Diario de Yucatán has documented Mennonite encroachment on protected national lands in Tekax since at least 2018, with local farmers expressing concerns over their unsustainable practices.

Call to Action

Bárcena’s statements underscore the urgent need for coordinated action to address the environmental and social challenges posed by the Mennonite community’s activities in Yucatán. Authorities continue to monitor the situation while urging local cooperation to prevent further ecological harm.