For months, La Plancha Park was presented as one of the greatest symbols of the transformation of southeastern Mexico. A modern space, full of life and pride for Mérida. However, behind the well-maintained gardens, clean walkways, and green areas, there is a reality that rarely appears in official speeches: that of the workers.
According to testimonies from the affected employees themselves, on June 30, 98 employees working in different areas of the park, including maintenance, cleaning, gardening, and administration, were dismissed. So far, the Olmeca-Maya-Mexica Airport, Railway, Auxiliary Services and Related Services Group (GAFSACOMM), a company under the control of the Ministry of National Defense, has not issued a public explanation regarding these dismissals.
Beyond the figures, each of those 98 jobs represents a family now facing uncertainty. These are the people who opened the park every morning before visitors arrived, who kept the facilities clean, and who cared for a space enjoyed daily by thousands of people in Yucatán. Today, many of them do not know how they will pay their rent, buy groceries, or purchase school supplies for their children.
In Tulum, Quintana Roo, around 60 workers from Jaguar Park, another project managed by the same federal structure, were also dismissed. The employees reported that their contracts were simply not renewed and are now seeking payment of the benefits they believe they are entitled to.
When two projects managed by the same organization experience mass layoffs at nearly the same time, the public has the right to ask what is happening. Is this a restructuring? A budget cut? Or an administrative decision that no one has wanted to explain?
Some of the workers at La Plancha claim that, during the notification of their dismissal, they were told about an alleged embezzlement of federal funds. However, that version has not been confirmed by any authority, and so far there is no public information supporting it. For that very reason, it is essential that the authorities transparently explain the true reason for the layoffs.
The economic context makes the situation even more serious. At a time when many families are facing rising costs for food, utilities, and other basic expenses, losing a job means much more than losing a paycheck: it means losing stability, peace of mind, and, in many cases, the ability to support a household.
Governments often highlight multi-billion-dollar investments, inaugurations, and landmark public works. But the true success of a public project should not be measured solely by its infrastructure, but also by the way it treats the people who keep it operating every day.
Because a park may have immaculate gardens and spectacular fountains, but if those who dedicated their work to keeping it open end up leaving through the back door without a clear explanation, then one unavoidable question remains: what is the point of talking about development if those who build it are the first to be left unprotected?
The people of Yucatán deserve answers. And the dismissed workers deserve something more than silence.
Source: mexicodailypost
