The phrase uttered by President Claudia Sheinbaum in Tulum, Quintana Roo, is being compared to previous statements made by Andrés Manuel López Obrador in which he showed contempt for legality, such as: “Don’t come to me saying the law is the law!” or “To hell with the institutions!”
“Don’t follow the regulation!” the president told the head of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), Pedro Álvarez Icaza Longoria, during her tour of the Yucatán Peninsula state, in a video that has already gone viral.
Her statement has not gone unnoticed on social media, where it has sparked numerous reactions.
Actions and strategies for tourism and the environment in Quintana Roo
In a video that went viral on social media, the president gave that instruction after hearing complaints from citizens affected by restrictive measures imposed by the agency.
“We must govern with common sense. When the regulation stands above the people, it is wrong, so don’t follow the regulation!” she told Álvarez Icaza Longoria.
The head of Conanp nodded with what appeared to be a nervous smile, according to the video.
This statement was made during a day dedicated to reviewing the tourism and environmental strategy for the Mexican Caribbean.
The president arrived in Tulum on the afternoon of Friday, July 17, 2026, where she also listened to concerns surrounding the tourist destination, which is currently facing a severe economic crisis.
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND: Calls to remove the Army from Tulum amid a historic decline in visitors.
The president visited Jaguar Park, where she announced changes to make access easier for visitors, reduce the cost of internal transportation, and lower entrance fees to the archaeological site and the Natural Protected Area.
She also confirmed that the new rates would take effect once they are published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF).
Sargassum affects tourism in the Mexican Caribbean
Another key topic of the tour was the sargassum problem. Sheinbaum announced that her administration will strengthen containment efforts by deploying new barriers and additional vessels to collect the seaweed offshore.
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What did Sheinbaum do during her tour of Quintana Roo?
She also met with representatives from the hotel and commercial sectors to evaluate measures aimed at reducing the impact on tourism.
Despite reports of extortion and murders in the state, during her morning press conference in Tulum, the president defended that Quintana Roo continues to show a favorable trend regarding public security.
However, despite the historic decline in tourism documented by the media, the Ministry of Tourism denied that fewer visitors are arriving in the Mexican Caribbean.
Nevertheless, the facts contradict the federal government, as a study conducted by the Sustainable Advanced Tourism Research Center (Starc) at Anáhuac University Cancún warns that there will be a significant reduction in flights and airline seats from the United States during the summer of 2026, putting the tourism sector under pressure and affecting hotels, restaurants, and businesses.
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What comes next in Claudia Sheinbaum’s tour of the Yucatán Peninsula?
Sheinbaum announced that this weekend she will hold meetings with the governors of the peninsula to review new strategies for promoting the Maya Train and to accelerate the implementation of its freight service.
As she continues her tour of the region, Claudia Sheinbaum’s request for a senior government official to “not follow the regulation” has sparked criticism for appearing to place actions above the law, as regulations are enacted to maintain order.
Source: yucatan
