In the Yucatecan coastal community of Sisal, nestled in southeastern Mexico, a bitter conflict has been brewing between residents and authorities over the uncontrolled expansion of tourism development.
The dispute centers around a disputed plot of land near the town’s main pier, where residents claim to have cleared vegetation to protect their community’s interests.
With nearly 15% of Sisal’s residents organizing against what they perceive as an injustice, tensions escalated into a physical confrontation with authorities on March 11. Residents reported that state police clashed with them, leaving several people injured, including the fisherman Felipe Hernández’s daughter and wife.
The controversy stems from the government’s declaration of Sisal as a “Magical Town” in December 2020, which some argue was done to attract investment and promote tourism without considering the local population’s concerns. Since then, construction projects and environmental permit applications have skyrocketed, leading to the destruction of mangroves and other natural habitats.
Research conducted by academics from the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav) supports this claim. The study found that between January 2014 and April 2022, over 90 tourism projects totaling 2,000 hectares were approved in Sisal, resulting in more than 30,000 plots of land being sold.
Residents have been protesting the expansion of real estate and tourism development since 2017, citing concerns about environmental damage, displacement of local populations, and erosion of traditional livelihoods. Fisherman Felipe Hernández, who has lived in Sisal all his life, expressed frustration with the government’s handling of the situation: “They made us believe that promoting tourism projects would benefit us, but it’s clear now that they just want to profit from our land.”
His son Alan Hernández, also involved in the protests, denied allegations that residents cleared mangrove forests. However, a report by Profepa (Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection) confirmed the presence of buttonwood mangroves and other coastal vegetation in the disputed area.
As talks between the Yucatán government, residents, and environmental agencies continue, Sisal’s residents remain resolute in their demand to protect their community’s rights and interests. Irineo Novelo Esquivel, the communal land commissioner of Sisal, stated that his proposal to relocate residents to areas near the swamp was met with resistance from nearly 300 organized residents.
For its part, Semarnat head Alicia Bárcena emphasized that an investigation is ongoing into the destruction of mangroves, a federal crime. With the conflict showing no signs of abating, Sisal’s residents remain committed to protecting their land and preserving their traditional way of life.
TYT Newsroom
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