Puerto Morelos Nautical Community Files Complaint Over Alleged Abuses

Puerto Morelos, January 6. — The nautical and fishing community of Puerto Morelos, comprised of more than 100 permit holders for tourist and maritime services, has filed a formal complaint over alleged abuses of authority committed by the Port Captaincy.

According to the document, delivered on December 30, 2025, to Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa and Tourism Secretary Bernardo Cueto Riestra, since the arrival of Margarita Vela Pérez as head of the Port Captaincy, there have been acts of intimidation, harassment, administrative retaliation, threats of fines and sanctions, as well as unjustified permit suspensions and selective inspections, even during the provision of tourist services with passengers on board.

The group warns that these actions have created an atmosphere of fear, legal uncertainty, and economic instability, directly affecting more than 250 families who depend on nautical activities in the municipality, in addition to damaging the tourist image of Puerto Morelos.

In the written complaint, the community highlights that since the Secretariat of the Navy assumed control of the Port Captaincies, various commanders—including a vice admiral—have served without a similar situation arising, leading them to believe the problem is not structural or historical, but attributable to the current administration.

Furthermore, the permit holders emphasize that the nautical sector of Puerto Morelos has been characterized by operating legally, orderly, and responsibly, with no irregular vessels and in compliance with current regulations, maintaining a relationship of institutional collaboration.

Due to well-founded fear of retaliation, the complaint was filed without individualized data of the complainants, which—they assert—demonstrates the climate of pressure under which the sector currently operates.

Finally, the Nautical and Fishing Community requested the immediate intervention of the competent authorities to guarantee the right to work, legal security, and due process, in addition to restoring an environment of legality and institutional certainty that allows for the sustainable tourism development of the destination.