A local judge has ordered the definitive suspension of work on a new tourism complex in Punta Colorada, the last virgin beach in the popular Oaxaca surf town of Puerto Escondido.
The seventh district judge in Salina Cruz issued the ruling in response to an injunction filed by the Save Puerto Escondido coalition in December. The petition gathered 300 signatures from local activists and had already achieved a provisional suspension.
The coalition argued that the project, which planned to cover 111 hectares of the Puerto Escondido Ecological Reserve, in the San Pedro Mixtepec municipality, lacked necessary permits and would threaten protected species of flora and fauna, including endangered leatherback sea turtles, reefs and mangroves. They also feared that it would disturb Punta Colorada’s renowned surf.
The development was promoted by the municipal authorities of San Pedro Mixtepec and Oaxaca governor Salomon Jara Cruz, who designated it one of his government’s strategic projects.
The draft plan, presented in a closed-door meeting in September, said that the complex would include “a commercial, hotel and reserve zone with public-private parks and a residential area.”
A statement by Oaxaca’s then-government said: “It will be a joint decision with the people to determine what project will be executed there. We are going to talk to all the social, economic and political sectors, and we will take the people into account.” Despite this, no public consultation ever took place.
Soon after the draft plan was presented, residents began to hold public demonstrations against both the proposed tourism project and pollution caused by a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), which they said the new complex would make worse.
“[Punta Colorada] is currently being polluted with the discharge of wastewater from more than 100 sewage pipes a day,” said María Almendra Gomezleyva Melchor, coordinator of Salvemos Colorada, at the time. “The WWTP is not functional and all the wastewater …forms open-air streams which flow directly into the Colorado lagoon and into the sea.”
The local authorities’ failure to inspect, verify and sanction these acts of pollution is listed in the injunction filed in December. The activists also pointed out that a long-awaited highway linking the city of Oaxaca with the coast, will accelerate the development and gentrification of the area, making regulation even more crucial.
The coalition invited supporters to celebrate the victory, saying: “We have achieved a lot and we are going for many more injunctions, to the benefit of all citizens of Puerto Escondido.”
With reports from El Universal, Proceso, Quadratin and Publimetro
Salvar Puerto Escondido, buenas noticias. Fabuloso, mantenimiento el buen trabajo!
Dear Lord, I hope the good people of Puerto Escondido can block stupid, over development which seeks to make it another commercial tourist trap. Puerto is unique because it has faught off big development. It’s beaches are pristine without big resorts littering the shoreline. We don’t want another Tulum! Leave the people and beaches alone!
Puerto Escondido is a unique place to visit thanks to its simplicity. Thank goodness this horrendous venture has been blocked.
The governor of Oaxaca has been promoting this development. One can wonder why he would be doing that but one only has to know how things work in Mexico and in Oaxaca to know exactly why he is doing that. Same goes for the elected and non-elected officials in the municipality of San Pedro Mixtepec. It would be absolutely ludicrous if it weren’t so serious that municipal and state leadership are allowing the unfettered development of apartments, hotels and residences in parts of Puerto Escondido with zero advance planning, total inability to supply water to the new properties and the worst: the total lack of sewage treatment facilities not just for the new development but also for the existing properties. What a farce. What a shame. Congratulations to the citizens who protested this development and went to court to stop it.
The governor of Oaxaca has been promoting this development. One can wonder why he would be doing that but one only has to know how things work in Mexico and in Oaxaca to know exactly why. Same goes for the elected and non-elected officials in the municipalities of San Pedro Mixtepec and Santa Maria Colotepec. It would be absolutely ludicrous if it weren’t so serious that municipal and state leadership is allowing the unfettered development of apartments, hotels and residences in parts of Puerto Escondido with zero advance planning, total inability to supply water to the new properties and the worst: the total lack of sewage treatment facilities not just for the new development but also for the existing properties. What a farce. What a shame. Congratulations to the citizens who protested this development and went to court to stop it.
What power does a judge have in México? The Maya train got built. It all depends which politicians get involved.
Maya train was shielded by AMLO who claimed it is for national security and handed it over to the army so not exposed to financial and environmental scrutiny.
Large developments like this can galvanize a community and be held accountable and pressured to invest in upgrading infrastructure and reducing environmental footprint. However, hundreds of small private investments in this town are taking place without evaluation of their impact on local infrastructure and environment.
Congratulations to the Save Puerto Escondido Coalition! Keep up the fight! Felicidades a la Coalicion para Salvar Puerto Escondido. Sigue luchando!