Yucatan Maya Communities Announce March Over Land Rights and Development

Maya communities and activist groups in Yucatan are preparing to march in Merida on August 9, demanding respect for their territorial rights and protesting the encroachment of real estate developments. The demonstration, set to begin at the Remate de Paseo de Montejo and conclude at the Plaza Grande, will serve as a platform for public statements on the ongoing conflicts faced by indigenous peoples across the state.

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many native communities in Yucatan face legal processes, land tenure conflicts, and rights violations.

Wilberth Náhuat, a representative from Santa María Chi, a Maya comisaría of Merida, stated that many native communities in Yucatan are entangled in legal processes and land disputes. He specifically pointed out the criminalization of community leaders who are actively defending their ancestral lands against the expansion of both real estate ventures and industrial pig farms, which are often sources of pollution.

Federico May of the Kinchil Community Council emphasized that the march will bring attention to the dispossession of land, the environmental damage caused by pig farms, and other projects that lead to severe pollution and displacement. Organizers anticipate participation from communities affected by conflicts over cenotes, nature reserves, communal lands, and development projects, aiming to present a united front in defense of their rights.

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community leaders are criminalized for defending their territory from real estate developers and pig farms.

This planned demonstration follows recent protests, including one by environmentalists rejecting a proposed apartment complex on the dunes of Chuburná Puerto and a march by residents of Molas demanding the removal of pig farms they accuse of contaminating local cenotes.

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land dispossession, the installation of pig farms, and other projects causing severe pollution and land grabs will be exhibited.