Chetumal, Quintana Roo — The municipal president of Othon P. Blanco, Yensunni Martínez Hernández, has ruled out declaring a state of emergency for the coastal town of Mahahual due to the massive influx of sargasso seaweed, arguing that such a measure would damage the destination’s image and local economy.
Speaking on July 10, Martínez said an emergency declaration would discourage tourists just as the summer vacation season is about to begin, threatening the livelihoods of families who depend on visitor spending. Instead, the municipality is intensifying its cleanup efforts, though she acknowledged that current actions are insufficient to contain the seaweed.
“I think declaring a state of emergency brings two consequences: one is that it clearly invites tourists not to come, and that would severely damage the economy of Quintana Roo residents,” Martínez said. “There are areas where people can still enjoy themselves. We cannot deny that we need more support — a strong hand from the federal government — because the state government is giving everything it has, and the municipality is putting in what it can. The navy is working, but we need to redouble our efforts against the sargasso.”
The mayor noted that the municipal administration has had to adjust its budget to address the seaweed accumulation at two critical points, but admitted that some of these measures are proving inadequate. She stressed the need for greater federal assistance to manage the natural phenomenon effectively.
“The sargasso issue this year has definitely exceeded the capacities that governments have put in place to mitigate it,” Martínez said. “It is not a controllable situation at this moment. What is happening is very serious — you cannot hide the sun with one finger. I cannot say that the fight against sargasso is won; on the contrary, it is arriving in incredible amounts to Quintana Roo. But all efforts are being made to address the contingency, and we have even seen budget adjustments.”
Business owners in the Costa Maya region have formed a committee to promote Mahahual and its clean beaches, aiming to attract visitors during the holiday period and sustain local businesses and jobs. They have also joined cleanup efforts to maintain a positive image.
