Playa del Carmen Court Revokes Gas Station Permit Issued by Former Mayor

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — A court has overturned a controversial gas station permit issued by former mayor Lili Campos Miranda, marking a victory for residents who protested the project in a residential neighborhood.

The Fourth Ordinary and Specialized Chamber in Urban Development and Environmental Matters of the Quintana Roo Administrative and Anti-Corruption Justice Tribunal ruled in favor of the municipal government on Monday, March 9, according to judicial documents. The decision nullifies the license granted to Holbox Gas and Javier Carlos Olvera Silveira, president of the Caribbean Business Coordinating Council.

The court issued a final sentence stating: “NOTIFY THE DEMANDING AUTHORITY BY OFFICE, AND THE PRIVATE DEFENDANT PERSONALLY.” The company still has time to appeal the decision through a direct amparo, which would be resolved by a Collegiate Circuit Court in the next judicial instance.

The construction of the Tomza Gas station, part of the Holbox Gas line, began in the final weeks of Campos’ administration, though the permit for the work was never properly documented. Approximately 100 families living near the entrance to the Villas del Sol neighborhood, along CTM, Gorriones, and Codorniz Yucateca avenues, launched a months-long blockade to prevent the gas distribution business from operating.

Residents expressed safety concerns about a 5,000-liter storage tank for liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas) installed in the urban area. The new municipal government immediately sealed the site upon learning of the situation and initiated the legal proceedings that ultimately led to the permit revocation.