Profepa Shuts Down Las Dunas Construction in Chuburná Puerto After Vegetation Removal Complaints

Mérida, Yucatán — Mexico’s Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) placed closure seals at the site of the Las Dunas residential complex in Chuburná Puerto after several days of inspections prompted by complaints over vegetation removal in the coastal dune zone.

The move marks the first official action against a project that has drawn widespread opposition in recent weeks from residents, environmental organizations and civic groups, who say it is damaging one of the most fragile ecosystems on the Yucatán coast.

According to the Salvemos las Dunas collective, the closure resulted from inspections by Profepa personnel after activists documented clearing and land alterations at the property.

The collective cautioned that the sealing does not mean the environmental conflict is over, and called on residents to keep supporting a petition drive seeking to stop the development permanently.

In recent days, residents of Chuburná Puerto have campaigned publicly against the project, arguing that it threatens the integrity of the coastal dunes — an ecosystem that provides natural protection against erosion, hurricanes and storm surge, and serves as habitat for diverse plant and animal species.

A march has been scheduled for this Friday in Mérida to demand the complete cancellation of the development and greater protections for Yucatán’s coastal dunes.

Profepa has not publicly disclosed the specific reasons for the closure or the extent of the administrative measures imposed on the project.

The Chuburná Puerto case has become one of the most visible environmental disputes on the Yucatán coast in recent weeks, highlighting the pressure that coastal areas face from real estate development in environmentally sensitive zones.