Mayan communities march in Mérida against real estate projects, demand rights

Mayan communities and allied collectives took to the streets of Mérida, Yucatán, on International Day of Indigenous Peoples to voice strong opposition to unchecked real estate development. The demonstrators marched from Remate de Paseo de Montejo to the Plaza Grande, denouncing what they describe as violations of their fundamental rights and the aggressive expansion of projects impacting their territories.

Activists, including Wilberth Nahuat Puc from Santa María Chi, highlighted the ongoing legal challenges and land conflicts faced by many indigenous communities in Yucatán. These struggles are often tied to the proliferation of real estate developments, industrial pig farms, water contamination, and disputes over land use and territorial defense. The protesters carried banners with slogans like "Water yes, plunder no!" and "Jungle yes, dispossession no!"

The demonstration aimed to bring visibility to the issue of community autonomy and the resistance against threats and criminalization. The march also saw participation from residents affected by other projects, such as a gas pipeline by Engie and a real estate development in Chuburná Puerto's dunes. Additionally, residents from Kanasín's Dzoyilá community reported the devastation of an archaeological site for a supermarket construction, underscoring the broad spectrum of development-related grievances.

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We demand respect for our collective rights, the defense of our territory, and the non-criminalization of the struggle of the Mayan peoples: Water yes, plunder no!, Jungle yes, dispossession no!