Bacalar, Q.R. — A Chetumal judge has granted a definitive suspension of the housing project being built along the Bacalar Lagoon. During the weekend session, the judge agreed that the construction represents “a serious threat to the ecological balance and human rights of the community.”
The First District Judge ordered the Ministry of Defense to immediately halt construction of the resort home it is building. Construction is to remain stopped until it fully resolves the Amparo lawsuit filed by organizations Proyecto Justicia Común and Defending the Right to a Healthy Environment.
At the weekend hearing, the presiding judge granted a definitive suspension of the work, arguing that there were sufficient grounds to consider that the construction of the military camp represents “a serious threat to the ecological balance and human rights of the community.”
José Mario de la Garza, Strategic Litigation Coordinator at Proyecto Justicia Común said, “given the high possibility of irreparable environmental damage, the judge believes it is necessary to definitively suspend the project in order to analyze the legality and constitutionality of the permits granted by the authorities to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (Sedena).
“They will also analyze whether the authorization comply with international and national standards of respect for the right to a healthy environment and the right to culture.”
The Common Justice Project and Defending the Right to a Healthy Environment filed an indirect injunction claiming the failure of federal, state, and municipal authorities to protect the environment, monitor land use, and prevent damage to Bacalar Lagoon, a unique and fragile ecosystem. The District Judge initially granted them a provisional suspension on April 22.
That same judge has granted them a permanent suspension until the associations’ indirect protection claim is fully resolved.
