Mérida, Yucatán — Merida Mayor Cecilia Patrón Laviada said she will seek a meeting with residents of the Molas community after they staged a weekend protest against pig transport trucks passing through their town.
At her weekly press conference, Patrón acknowledged that while the pig farms that residents complain about are not located in Molas itself but in neighboring communities, the trucks used to transport the animals do cross through the town. That is one of the main grievances, she said.
“What they told me is that they don’t want them to pass through. It’s an issue we are going to address together with the commissioner. We were in contact with her yesterday and in the coming days we will meet with the residents of Molas to see what this is about,” Patrón said.
The mayor said the city council will review any issues that fall within municipal jurisdiction, while complaints related to the operation and environmental oversight of the pig farms primarily fall to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Profepa).
The statement comes after residents of the Maya community of Yax Kachal Bak, also known as Molas, mobilized over the weekend against pig truck traffic and pig farms, and in defense of their communal lands and against the advance of real estate projects.
Residents cited foul odors left by the livestock trucks, a proliferation of flies, and risks from heavy vehicles traveling through the community. They also expressed concern about potential impacts on the aquifer of the Cuxtal Reserve from pig farming, as well as the growth of housing developments in the area.
Tensions peaked when a multi-level trailer loaded with piglets tried to cross Molas while residents were protesting. The demonstrators blocked the truck, and despite the presence of state police, the driver was forced to reverse and leave the community.
The Merida city council said it will establish a dialogue with residents to hear their demands and determine which can be addressed at the municipal level.
