Playa del Carmen Police Clear Boulevard Blockade

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — Municipal Police officers cleared a blockade late Thursday night that had been established hours earlier by residents of the irregular settlement San Judas Tadeo on Playa del Carmen Boulevard, demanding the release of one of their leaders, who is being prosecuted for extortion.

The road was reopened around 11:00 p.m. when Municipal Police officers used public force to clear the roadway, which had been blocked in all four lanes near the Centro Maya plaza for three hours. According to initial reports, a group of protesters was in the middle of an altercation with some motorists who were demanding the road be cleared when officers activated the dispersal protocol.

At the same point, Luis Herrera Quiam, Secretary General of the Municipal Government, and a representative from the State Attorney General's Office were present. They had been in dialogue with the protesters for over an hour, attempting to reach an agreement and de-escalate the protest.

The protesters were demanding the immediate release of the leader of this settlement, Romeo “N”, who was arrested and formally charged with the crime of extortion. He is allegedly accused of charging "fees" for electricity and other services to residents of this and other neighboring settlements.

After failing to reach a concrete agreement with the authorities, the police forces proceeded to implement an operation and detain some of the protesters, who fled towards the Centro Maya plaza.

Although the exact number of detainees is not yet known, it is estimated that approximately 20 people were captured just meters from the blockade point. Simultaneously, the long lines of motorists began to flow quickly after three hours of a blockade that had stranded dozens of workers and tourists.

In a statement published just before midnight, the Playa del Carmen Municipal Government reported that, following the blockade, a dialogue process was initiated with the participation of the State Attorney General's Office and federal and state authorities.

The authority stated that, despite attempts to reach an agreement, the responsible group refused to clear the roadway, endangering the mobility, security, and economy of thousands of families. It indicated that, given this situation, they proceeded to restore order and guarantee free transit, in coordination with all competent institutions.

The Municipal Government specified that in Playa del Carmen, the right to protest is defended, but it pointed out that "no protest can justify affecting third parties or blocking public roads."

"Our commitment is to protect legality, the rule of law, and peace, with order and with respect for all the people who live in or visit Playa del Carmen," the statement concluded.