Playa del Carmen Land Dispute Sparks Protest

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — Residents from five communities in Playa del Carmen, who are occupying ejidal lands, demanded a resolution to their land tenure problem after being ignored in a scheduled meeting with authorities.

Despite having purchase documents, the residents fear an eviction and are calling for authorities to intervene to regularize their situation.

Approximately fifty people accompanied leaders from the five communities involved in the illegal occupation of ejidal lands belonging to the Playa del Carmen Ejido, located in the western part of the city along the Juárez Avenue extension. The leaders had an appointment for a working meeting with the ejido commissioner and the supposed owners of the more than 32 hectares they currently occupy at the Ejidal House.

However, the appointment was canceled without prior notice or explanation, which triggered a peaceful protest in front of the Ejidal House. The protesters, grouped under the name "Las Comunidades Unidas" (The United Communities), demanded the intervention of the corresponding authorities to resolve their situation and to respect promises made during previous negotiations.

They also directed their anger towards the Ejido Commissioner, Cecilio Puc, the Municipal Secretary, Luis Herrera, and the supposed "owners" of the land, accusing them of a lack of seriousness and commitment.

The protest was intensified by the fact that the residents had agreed to the meeting for 11:00 hours but were left waiting for more than an hour without being attended to. As the leaders and community residents began to leave, personnel from the Ejidal House came out to apologize and asked for their contact information to reschedule the meeting in an attempt to reopen dialogue.

This incident is part of a prolonged conflict over land tenure, which escalated last week with the eviction from a property known as "Plaza Gardenias," which had also been invaded by the same groups.

In a subsequent meeting, the residents claimed to have purchase documents for the land, with prices between 100,000 and 150,000 pesos, which caused them confusion upon discovering that these lands had legitimate owners.

Currently, the inhabitants of the five communities—comprising San Judas Tadeo I and II, Alfa y Omega, Sagrado Corazón, and Gloria Escondida—fear an imminent eviction and have blocked main streets as a protest measure against what they consider constant harassment by elements of the Municipal Citizen Security force.

The residents are requesting that the corresponding authorities take action to regularize the situation of the properties which, they assert, they acquired in good faith and with the hard work of their families.

The conflict over land tenure in the area remains a sensitive issue requiring a prompt resolution, as the affected families continue to await clear answers regarding the legality of their properties and the future of their housing.

Meanwhile, uncertainty and a lack of official dialogue continue, generating tension within the community.