Puerto Morelos Residents Protest to Halt Development Plan and Protect Wetlands

Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo — Residents in Puerto Morelos mobilized outside the municipal palace to demand transparency and urgent protection for the area’s water resources, calling it a “historic step” in their fight against a development plan they say threatens local wetlands.

The protest, organized by the movement Toma las Aguas, prompted municipal authorities to commit to reviewing a five-point petition after a day of demonstrations and signature collection. Activists warned that the 2026 Urban Development Plan (PDU) aims to legalize real estate developments on karst wetlands north and west of the urban area, including near a cement plant and mangrove zones.

“Their patience and dignity show that when the people unite, no indifference can stop them,” movement spokespersons said in a statement, thanking supporters who responded to an urgent call. They emphasized that Puerto Morelos’ water is vital not only for local residents but also impacts the supply to Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Isla Mujeres.

The movement formally delivered its demands to Mayor Blanca Merari and state officials from the Comptroller’s Office and the SEMA (Secretariat of Ecology and Environment). The key points include:

• A Citizen’s Seat on the City Council to ensure a voice in municipal decisions.
• A Citizen Water Council with its own budget and experts to influence instruments like the PDU and the Ecological Land Use Plan (POEL).
• A halt to permits that risk water sources and wetlands.
• Clear, democratically crafted protection rules for local ecosystems.
• A Citizen Water Observatory to monitor and report environmental damage.

“Today we were not only heard; citizen pressure ensured that authorities will consider our petitions. We will continue organizing to defend our territory’s future,” the movement concluded.

The protest coincided with an official POEL workshop, which activists criticized as a simulation. “They want to impose an order without listening to us while the extremely vulnerable karst aquifer continues to be impacted by mega-developments,” the collective denounced.

According to the movement, the current model causes forest fragmentation and excessive urbanization of wetlands. Nearly half of residents (47%) have suffered gastrointestinal illnesses due to poor water quality, highlighting a public health crisis. “If our aquifer is contaminated, Cancún and Playa del Carmen will be left without water,” they warned.

For the new POEL, protesters demand non-negotiable points: suspending new developments until a real water balance is established, protecting wells that supply the population, ensuring the POEL allows immediate updates when new karst wetlands are discovered, creating a Geohydrological Reserve with citizen regulations, and consolidating the Citizen Water and Wetlands Council and Observatory.

The movement invited the community to sign a document of discontent, with the clear slogan: “Puerto Morelos’ water is not for sale; it is loved and defended.” Social pressure is expected to force authorities to reconsider the ecological planning terms before final approval.