Chichén Itzá, Yucatan — Road blocks that were put into place Monday continued into Tuesday, disrupting visitors to Chichén Itzá. Vendors, artisans, ejidos and residents of communities near the Chichén Itzá archaeological zone continue to request the dismissal of Marco Antonio Santos Ramírez, the Director de la Zona Arqueológica de Chichén Itzá.
Authorities with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) are hoping to schedule talks between the disgruntled area residents and the federal government.
On Monday, Arturo Chab Cárdenas, the director of the INAH in Yucatán, reported that Chichén Itzá was still open despite the road blocks, which were set up at the Pisté and Xcalakoop road accesses.
“Chichén Itzá will continue to provide its service to the public. We will continue to be open so that visitors continue to arrive at the archaeological site,” he reiterated Tuesday adding that 50 National Guards were on site to ensure order.
“It is to give security to visitors while we will continue to be respectful of the demonstrations,” he explained.
According to the commissioner of Xcalacoop, Jeremías Cimé Ciau, the road blocks were put into place after area vendors were denied permits by Santos Ramírez to continue selling their merchandise in the area and forced to relocate without notice.
He also said that the INAH receives millions with the arrival of tourists, but those who own the land do not receive anything.
The road block, which has been set up along a section of the Mérida-Valladolid highway near Pisté, is the main road that connects the archaeological zone with Cancun and Merida.
