A Playa del Carmen Police bus was burned after an eviction on communal land in this town, where a member of the press was also attacked.
In an unprecedented incident in the tourist resort, the police unit, which was used to transport members of the Citizen Security Secretariat to respond to a complaint of dispossession of the Playa del Carmen Ejido, was reduced to ashes after generating a large column of black smoke that could be seen from the island of Cozumel, according to reports.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning after the Playa del Carmen Ejido Assembly, the founding community members of the tourist destination, requested police support because a group of people had entered their land and were carrying out work with heavy machinery.
Police officers were met with stones. Machete-wielding, the alleged invaders sought to confront the police, while a reporter, who preferred not to be named, was hit in the head while reporting the news.
The property in question is adjacent to an invasion zone known as San Judas Tadeo, where a population has settled since the first half of last year. Sources indicate that they were lured to the site in exchange for votes in the 2024 local election, in which the Morena party won overwhelmingly throughout the state.
The invaders never left, and the problem persisted. In recent months, clashes between members of the Playa del Carmen Ejido and local police have worsened.
The conflict reached its peak this morning when a Public Security riot squad bus was set on fire with Molotov cocktails right in front of the Mayaland private school, where children and teenagers were attending classes.
The official report, issued by Playa Mayor Estefanía Mercado Asencio, indicated that they will file complaints with the Quintana Roo Prosecutor’s Office for the damage to the public security unit.
As a result of the incident, five men were arrested and a heavy machinery unit was seized. The investigation is ongoing.
Source: proceso
