Merida, Yucatan — Families who own a vault in any of Merida’s municipal cemeteries must now renew their usage rights every three years under a new regulation approved by the state congress.
The regulation, known as the Public Cemetery Service Regulation, aims to keep the registry of vault holders up to date, provide legal certainty over burial spaces, and prevent the abandonment of tombs and vaults.
What the renewal entails
Vault owners must complete the renewal process every three years to maintain their rights. If they fail to do so within the established period, the Merida city government may initiate a procedure to recover the space. However, the process is not automatic and includes several steps:
- Notifying the rights holders.
- Publishing a list of permits nearing expiration.
- Granting a grace period for holders to regularize their status.
Dealing with abandoned tombs
The regulation also creates a specific procedure for handling abandoned tombs and vaults. The city can conduct inspections to identify such cases, compile an administrative file, and notify those responsible. If there is no response within the given deadlines, the city may begin the process of recovering the space in accordance with the law.
The goal is to make better use of cemetery capacity and keep the facilities in good condition.
