The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) closed the “Santuario Tótem” real estate project, promoted by the Libera Group and Badar Real Estate Corporation, due to serious irregularities and the environmental risk posed by its implementation.
The megaproject, unprecedented in Yucatán, contemplated the deforestation of more than 2,291,000 square meters of rainforest, with the purpose of urbanizing a vast area located at kilometer 20 of the Kinchil-Celestún highway, in the municipality of Kinchil.
The municipal authorities of Kinchil authorized the change of land use for the construction of 3,963 residential lots, in addition to 153 mixed-use lots: 44 for green areas, 44 more for facilities and services, and one in reserve. All of this is within Cadastral Table No. 3,037, covering an area of 2,291,750 m².
The permit was granted by former mayor Carlos Valentín Dzib Pech, generating severe criticism from environmental organizations, who warned of the irreversible impact on the local ecosystem.
Specialists have warned that massive deforestation in this region not only destroys critical habitats but also compromises the stability of the peninsula’s fragile karst soil, increasing the risk of collapse, aquifer contamination, and biodiversity loss.
PROFEPA’s intervention represents an important precedent in the face of the growing pressure from the real estate sector on natural areas of high environmental value. The project will remain on hold while the corresponding investigations are conducted and legal responsibilities are determined.
The closure has been celebrated by environmental groups and advocates, who are demanding that the permits granted be definitively revoked and that the restoration of the affected area be guaranteed.
TYT Newsroom
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