Tulum, Quintana Roo — Residents of the coastal community of Punta Allen have renewed calls for basic services, citing years of neglect in electricity supply, road conditions, and healthcare access.
Locals report receiving only seven hours of electricity per day, making it difficult to preserve food and medicine and disrupting daily life in the tropical heat.
“Seven hours of power is not enough for a community like ours. We can’t keep food or medicine refrigerated, and living without electricity the rest of the day is very hard,” said resident Sandra Ramírez. “We’re not asking for a privilege, but a right we have as citizens.”
The 55-kilometer access road to Punta Allen is in severe disrepair, with travel times stretching to three hours, affecting both residents and tourists. Although 24.5 million pesos were allocated to rehabilitate 20 kilometers of the road, residents say work has been limited to filling potholes and has not addressed the worst 15-kilometer stretch near the community.
Healthcare is also a major concern. While Punta Allen has an IMSS clinic and a health center, both are understaffed and lack medicines and supplies. In emergencies, patients must be transported by sea for specialized care.
Residents are urging federal, state, and local authorities to accelerate road repairs and ensure dignified basic services for a community they say has been abandoned for years.
