With a unanimous vote of 465 in favor and zero against, the full Chamber of Deputies approved this Tuesday, October 1, an initiative guaranteeing free access to all beaches and Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) in Mexico on Sundays and holidays, a measure welcomed by various political and social actors.
This initiative was drafted by the Morena legislative group in conjunction with the Tulum City Council and the government of Quintana Roo, stemming from citizen discontent over the fees to enter the beaches of the Jaguar National Park. The day before, it had been approved by the Tourism Committee of the Federal Congress.
Among the first to applaud the decision was the mayor of Tulum, Diego Castañón Trejo, who described the approval as “one more step toward guaranteeing free access to our coasts.”
“The beaches are part of our identity and a right for all. That is why I celebrate the news coming from Congress,” said Castañón Trejo. “This achievement would not be possible without the support of great allies such as Representatives Ricardo Monreal and Enrique Vázquez, Governor Mara Lezama, and Senator Eugenio Segura. With their support, we continue to demonstrate that transformation advances when we put people at the center. Tulum deserves open, clean, and safe beaches, and we will continue working to ensure that this is the case,” the mayor stated in a video posted on his social media.
The measure is part of a broader effort to democratize access to the country’s natural resources and strengthen the public nature of ecological spaces, particularly in coastal areas where access has been restricted in some cases by private developments.
“We are very happy, very excited here in the federal Chamber of Deputies. This is a very important step for the well-being of the people of Quintana Roo and all Mexicans who enjoy our beaches,” said Senator Eugenio Segura.
The approval of the initiative also responds to social and citizen demands for greater inclusion in the enjoyment of the country’s natural heritage, especially in tourist regions like Quintana Roo, where tensions between real estate development and collective rights have been constant.
With this new legislation, which must also be approved by the Senate in the coming days, federal, state, and municipal authorities are expected to work in a coordinated manner to guarantee not only physical access, but also the safety, cleanliness, and preservation of these spaces during the free admission days.
Source: lajornadamaya
