Xcaret Withdraws Injunction Bid Over Use of Maya Symbols at Supreme Court

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Experiencias Xcaret has withdrawn the injunction it filed to preserve its right to use Maya cultural symbols at its parks, hotels and digital platforms, walking away from a case that has twice reached Mexico’s Supreme Court.

According to case file 428/2026, the company’s legal representative, Rafael Giménez Camacho, filed the withdrawal on Oct. 16, shortly after the Supreme Court (SCJN) decided to take up the matter again to examine the substance of the dispute.

The case involves Experiencias Xcaret Parques and Experiencias Xcaret Web, which had sought an indirect injunction to keep using the cultural elements at issue. The litigation began in late 2022.

Supreme Court took up the case a second time

On Oct. 1, the court agreed to review the file again, this time to examine the merits of the conflict and determine the scope of the legal protection that should apply.

In March, the justices had analyzed one part of the dispute, concerning a definitive suspension granted to Xcaret in early 2025. That measure allowed the company to keep using the symbols while the case, prompted by complaints from the National Institute of Copyright (Indautor), moved forward.

The new review gave the court a broader role in the case. The company’s withdrawal changes the procedural picture, although its legal consequences will depend on subsequent filings and rulings.

The dispute began with a claim from the Gran Consejo Maya

The conflict dates to late 2022, when the Gran Consejo Maya of Quintana Roo filed for arbitration to challenge Xcaret’s use of Maya symbols in its attractions. The organization argued that the use of the cultural elements violated rules protecting the heritage of Indigenous peoples.

The Gran Consejo Maya later dropped its claims after reaching a financial settlement with the company, according to testimony given during the proceedings by Justice Yasmín Esquivel Mossa. The case nonetheless continued because Indautor maintained its own claim over the use of the cultural symbols.

The dispute has already affected the company’s events. In May, Xcaret suspended “La Travesía Sagrada Maya,” saying it lacked sufficient legal certainty to use the name and stage the event. The decision drew reaction from business leaders given the company’s weight in tourism and job creation in Cancún and the Riviera Maya.

The withdrawal comes days before the start of the Festival de Vida y Muerte, which marks its 20th anniversary this year with Guanajuato as guest state. That event was also part of the original objections over the use of Maya cultural elements.

The end of the injunction fight opens a new stage in the litigation, which will determine the legal conditions under which Xcaret may use the cultural symbols at the center of the controversy.