# Maya community rights and legal protections in Mexico

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/maya-community-rights-and-legal-protections-in-mexico
> Updated: 2026-09-08T00:00:00.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2.

The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) has issued several rulings involving the rights of Maya communities in Mexico.

In Campeche, the Court ordered federal, state, and municipal authorities to protect the water supply for 17 Maya communities in Hopelchén. This decision follows a six-year legal dispute regarding glyphosate and other pesticides in local aquifers. The Court applied the principle of ‘in dubio pro natura’, stating that a lack of absolute scientific certainty should not delay protective measures when environmental risks are present. This ruling recognizes water as essential to the collective rights and cultural continuity of these indigenous groups.

In a separate matter, the SCJN addressed the use of Maya cultural heritage by Grupo Xcaret. The Court denied a definitive suspension that would have blocked the company’s websites, but it revoked a lower court ruling that had allowed the company to maintain its digital presence during litigation. The Court determined that a contract between Xcaret and the Gran Consejo Maya did not constitute sufficient legal authorization from the Maya people, who are considered the collective owners of their cultural heritage.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-08: Mexico Supreme Court denies Grupo Xcaret use of Maya symbols

Mexico's Supreme Court denied Grupo Xcaret a legal suspension allowing the use of Maya symbology on its websites, ruling that a contract with the Gran Consejo Maya does not prove collective authorization.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mexico-supreme-court-denies-grupo-xcaret-use-of-maya-symbols

### 2026-08-28: Campeche: Supreme Court orders water protection for Maya communities

Mexico's Supreme Court ordered protection for water in 17 Maya communities in Campeche against glyphosate, while officials link a recent poisoning of five children to pesticide negligence.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/campeche-supreme-court-orders-water-protection-for-maya-communities

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Cite as: Maya community rights and legal protections in Mexico. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/maya-community-rights-and-legal-protections-in-mexico