GoKawiilIn a bold move that signals a major shift in Mexico’s approach to environmental protection, the Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) has launched an aggressive campaign against unauthorized real estate developments along the picturesque Yucatán coast.
“All works that aren’t authorized will have to be demolished,” declared Marina Boy Tamborrel, head of Profepa, during a recent meeting with Maya peoples in Ixil. This no-nonsense stance represents a dramatic departure from previous enforcement efforts that developers had learned to circumvent.
Crackdown on coastal development
For years, wealthy developers have treated environmental fines as simply another line item in their budgets—a minor inconvenience easily absorbed by their profit margins. Tamborrel acknowledged this problem directly: “There are companies that allocate part of their budget to pay these fines and then continue operating; offenders prefer to pay the fine rather than request a permit.”
But those days appear to be ending. Profepa has already closed four real estate developments in Puerto Vallarta and promises similar action along all of Mexico’s coastal states. The agency’s new philosophy prioritizes environmental restoration over monetary penalties.
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“The Attorney General’s new vision is to order the repair of the damage; it’s a priority,” Tamborrel explained, emphasizing that fines alone have proven insufficient to protect fragile coastal ecosystems.
Critical situation in Yucatán
The announcement comes as environmental officials prepare to assess damage in Sisal, where a staggering 23,000 hectares were recently devastated. The scale of this destruction highlights the urgent need for more stringent enforcement.
During the Ixil meeting, Tamborrel and Deputy Commissioner Wilberth Nahuat of Santa María Chi discussed the severe impacts suffered by local communities. They identified farms and irregular real estate developments as “the most critical issues” requiring immediate attention in Yucatan.
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