Authorities in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, have removed a barrier to one of the municipality’s most visited beaches after a year of calls from the public to take it down.
The vehicle-control barrier built by the One & Only Palmilla resort had blocked public access to Palmilla beach to control vandalism, crime and vendors.
Cabo San Lucas Mayor Armida Castro Guzmán said at the removal ceremony on the weekend that taking down the barrier protects and guarantees the public’s constitutional right to access the country’s beaches.
“Today the notorious barrier of Palmilla is being completely removed, along with any misunderstandings, because under this administration the beaches are open to citizens and visitors,” she said.
The resort placed the barrier two years ago after a spate of incidents during which three people were murdered at Palmilla beach in August 2017. An attempt to build a security booth at the entrance to the beach at that time was blocked by the local council.
Still, the general public was forced to wait for the guard on duty to raise the barrier in order to access the beach.
Citizens said that crime had been curtailed and there was no longer a need for the barrier, but their calls for its removal went unheeded throughout 2019.
The continued pressure led Castro to work with councilor Tabita Rodríguez Morales and representatives of One & Only Palmilla to coordinate the removal of the barrier.
“It is our responsibility as the government to ensure safety, carry out clean-up efforts and guarantee free access to all of the beaches of Los Cabos,” Castro said.
Resort representative Juan Antonio Aguilar said that the removal of the barrier reflects the trust the company has in the current municipal government.
Although the action was applauded by citizens, some members of the Los Cabos community said the same should be done at Las Viudas beach and others in the hotel zone of Cabo San Lucas that have been blocked by developers.
Sources: Diario El Independiente (sp), BCS Noticias (sp)
