Oaxaca stone quarrying confronts illegal extraction protests and craft preservation

Indigenous Ikoots fishermen and community members from San Mateo del Mar in Oaxaca halted illegal stone extraction at the gravera Oyamel, owned by businessman Joaquín Castro. The quarry, located near the mouth of the Tehuantepec River, was accused of damaging a sacred zone and the local ecosystem. The protesters demanded removal of equipment and said they would take the dispute to SEMARNAT, the Agrarian Prosecutor's Office and the Oaxaca state government.

At the same time, families in Magdalena Apasco, Etla, continue a centuries‑old tradition of stone carving. Artisan Nely Aidé Cruz Espinoza, a third‑generation quarry worker, highlighted how local quarries supply material for large architectural pieces and for smaller crafts made from leftover stone. The community now manages the extraction sites communally, and Cruz Espinoza also teaches quarrying techniques at the Universidad Autónoma “Benito Juárez” in Oaxaca, aiming to preserve the craft while reducing waste.