Maya community opposition to Sian Ka’an road project

Maya communities in Quintana Roo, including residents of Felipe Carrillo Puerto and fishers from Punta Allen, are demanding the permanent cancellation of the ‘Puerta al Mar’ road project. The project, managed by the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), involves a 55-kilometer road intended to connect the municipal seat to the coastal zone near the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.

While Alicia Bárcena, head of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), stated that large-scale urban developments in the reserve will be ruled out to prioritize conservation, local groups remain skeptical. Environmental organizations and community members argue this does not guarantee the project’s cancellation or address existing environmental damage.

Legal representatives from Territorios Diversos para la Vida (TerraVida) report that construction began without necessary permits, leading to the clearing of 6.34 hectares of jungle and impacting 1,418 square meters of red mangrove. Local groups are seeking judicial reviews of pending legal demands, ecological restoration programs, and legal guarantees to prevent the project from being rebranded.