Heavy Rains Destroy $54 Million Open-Air Theater in Salina Cruz, Oaxaca

An open-air theater and viewpoint located on the malecón in Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, has been destroyed by recent heavy rains and strong ocean currents. The structure, situated on the Miramar beach, succumbed to the combined force of Hurricane Boris's aftermath and persistent "mar de fondo" (sea swell).

The theater and viewpoint, which cost 54 million pesos to build, were part of the Urban Improvement Program (PMU) authorized in 2023 by then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and executed by the Secretariat of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development (SEDATU). Three days of intense wave action, starting June 8, revealed that the construction lacked reinforced stone foundations. The sand used to backfill the stairs of the viewpoint was washed away within 72 hours by the sea.

With the theater and viewpoint now in ruins and no clear funding source for reconstruction, the future of the structure appears uncertain. The 1,200-meter-long malecón itself remains standing but is vulnerable to the sea's impact. This malecón and theater were part of a larger package of seven works undertaken by SEDATU in Salina Cruz through the PMU. This included a 12,000-square-meter civic plaza that reportedly retains rainwater like a pool due to a lack of drainage systems.

The destruction represents a loss for the residents of Salina Cruz, who are deprived of a public space for recreation and entertainment. Walking along the malecón now poses a safety risk.