Xcaret Blamed for Tourist’s Life-Altering Injury

Cancún, Mexico — After two decades of employment to support her family, including her brother with Down syndrome, Chilean national Paulina Cáceres González decided it was time for a change and to start her own business. With significant savings and a sense of optimism, she resigned from her job. Before embarking on her entrepreneurial venture, however, she chose to fulfill her brother's dream of visiting the Mexican Caribbean.

Trusting the company's advertising, she purchased an extensive vacation package from Experiencias Xcaret, which included access to parks and tours to various destinations. This decision profoundly changed their lives, but for the worse. Due to alleged negligence by the company, both siblings were left with their futures shattered and their lives ruined.

Cristian Cáceres suffered a fall during one of the tours, which left him with a spinal cord injury. He can no longer walk without assistance or even hold objects, requiring help for the most basic tasks such as dressing, bathing, or eating. His sister, Paulina, has had to focus entirely on his care, forcing her to abandon her dreams of starting a business.

A Tragic Fall and a Delayed Diagnosis

The tragic accident occurred on June 24 at the dock of the "Xailing by Xcaret" ferry in Playa del Carmen. Cristian was walking on a ramp at the location that lacked a handrail for support. Due to this alleged safety failure, the Chilean tourist had nothing to hold onto when he slipped. He hit his face on the ground and, most seriously, hyperextended his neck.

Paulina Cáceres González recounts that Xcaret staff minimized the accident, despite her requests for medical attention. Faced with their refusal, she had to request and pay for an ambulance transfer to a clinic herself.

Cristian complained of pain and numbness in his hands. The diagnosis took several days to be discovered and was devastating: spinal cord compression. Surgery was urgent. Paulina Cáceres had travel insurance, but, as often happens in Quintana Roo, it did not cover this specific procedure. With no other option, she was forced to pay over 400,000 pesos in medical expenses.

Cristian underwent a lengthy surgery to remove the laminae from two of his vertebrae, in addition to the placement of seven pins and a rod. Although the compression was relieved, the damage was already done. To this day, he has not recovered his mobility or sensation.

A Struggle for Accountability

From the beginning, Grupo Xcaret was informed of the incident, but the company indicated it would only respond to an email. In that correspondence, they stated that she should speak with the insurance company's lawyer to cover the expenses. Although Paulina tried to contact Xcaret again, the company said it would only speak with her lawyer, forcing her to hire legal counsel.

This legal representative filed a complaint with the Federal Consumer Prosecutor's Office (Profeco), but the company only agreed to refund the money spent on the tours. Consequently, a civil lawsuit had to be filed, which remains ongoing.

Paulina, advised by her lawyer, brought the case to the press, detailing the ordeal they experienced. In response, Xcaret issued a statement that she says contained falsehoods, such as indicating the accident occurred "in the vicinity" of Xailing, claiming they offered first aid—which she states did not happen—and stating they were unaware of medical expenses, despite having been sent the entire medical file.

Lives Changed Forever

As their finances dwindled, the family returned to Chile, where they await justice. Cristian, who used to go out on his own and was autonomous in his daily activities, now remains confined at home, requiring help to shave, eat, dress, and wash. His greatest enjoyment was drawing, an activity he would do for hours, but he can no longer hold a pencil.

Paulina lives in constant anguish, unable to work or start a business. She must care for her injured brother, which includes ensuring he does not fall due to his instability, and watching him complain of pain despite his medication. The physical strain of helping him move has already caused her lumbar problems, and she requires psychological help for the stress she endures.

Her 12-year-old daughter also suffers from the disappearance of family outings, even to the movies, and watches the family's economic situation worsen daily. Paulina now struggles to cover payments, leading to delays, late fees, and damage to her credit history. A planned move, which was to coincide with the start of her business, is now impossible as she is no longer eligible for credit.

"The home has become a place of constant tension, with arguments, exhaustion, and stress from confinement, limitations on all activities, and additionally, the lack of resources we never used to have at all," she states, adding that her 12-year-old daughter also suffers from the total absence of outings or trips.

Faced with this frustration over their stolen future, Paulina alleges that Xcaret is employing delaying tactics to prolong the lawsuit against them. This is occurring, the report notes, while the company is simultaneously engaged in several litigations against former employees it has reportedly sued, allegedly to avoid paying them severance.