Frustrated by the advance of quarrying operations in their communities, residents of Xcucul Sur, Tebec, Hotzuc, Yaxcopoil, San José Tzal, Ticimul, Noc-Ac, Cheuman, Petecbiltum, and Texán Cámara protested in front of the Government Palace, demanding that Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena halt the mining activity.
The protesters blocked 61st Street for several hours to deliver their message, denouncing environmental and infrastructure damage in the areas surrounding the communities belonging to the municipalities of Mérida and Umán.
The participants read a statement accusing the authorities of violating their collective rights to territory, autonomy, and self-determination.
“None of these projects have undergone a prior, free, and informed consultation process, as required by national and international law… The impacts are real and are happening now: constant explosions that generate stress, fear, and emotional distress; suspended dust that we breathe every day, impacting our health; roads invaded by dump trucks that endanger our mobility and safety; homes with cracks and structural damage from the detonations; deforestation and displacement of wildlife; and damage to our archaeological heritage, as occurred in Yaxcopoil,” they stated.
Utsil Kuxtal, the Human Rights Center, an organization that supports Mayan communities, reported that from 2018 to 2025, more than 60 quarries were approved for the extraction of stone material used for real estate development and the expansion of the Maya Train.
“It’s ludicrous to call a government that continues to prioritize corporations the Mayan Renaissance, and it must be emphasized that these projects are a product of agrarian corruption because they facilitate and carry out mechanisms for the dispossession of indigenous communities’ lands. From here we demand: No to open-pit mining, no to the extraction of stone materials,” declared Jorge Fernández Mendiburu, from Utsil Cuxtal.
“What are they waiting for to respect our rights? If they talk about a Mayan Renaissance, when are they going to respect the Mayan people’s right to decide on their territory? A development model that destroys villages, affects communities, and sacrifices our health cannot be sustained. That is why we demand an immediate halt to the authorization of new quarries or non-metallic mining in our territory. Official recognition of the socio-environmental emergency that we have declared along with other communities of the peninsula. Comprehensive reparations for the damage, including attention to the physical and emotional health of the population. Repair of affected homes and restoration of the forest, air, and water. As well as respect for our autonomy and self-determination,” declared one of those affected.
Charles Gaillard Rivero, a doctoral researcher on the Mayan Train, was also present at the demonstration. He asserts that he has documented that one of the most significant impacts caused by the megaproject is the activity of quarrying.
“These quarries are operating without complying with the requirements, the land use regulations, or the Territorial Planning Program of the State of Yucatán. They disregard these regulations, and yet the authorities are authorizing and approving them, while the communities are suffering,” the researcher stated.
After waiting for a couple of hours in front of the Government Palace to meet with the governor, a delegation was received by state government personnel to deliver their list of demands. They then left with the clear warning that the protest would continue if no action was taken.
Source: lajornadamaya
