Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — The City Council of Solidaridad has formally started the process to change the name of the municipality. The Riviera Maya area, which is best known as Playa del Carmen, is looking to have an official name change.
According to Luis Herrera Quian, the General Secretary of the City Council, the name change project includes forums, citizen consultations and meetings to establish a legal route.
He explained that all these avenues must be followed so the name change can be legally carried out in an orderly manner. Herrera Quian explained that the first working meeting has already been held to create a time line of what needs to be done.
“The first work meeting was held to draw up a schedule of activities that will include consultations and discussions. This will inform us on the opinions of the different sectors of the municipality and determine the most appropriate legal route, considering the political and economic conditions,” he said.
The Secretary said the change of name from Solidaridad to Playa del Carmen needs to go through City Council then State Congress to be able to become a public consult. During the public consultation, authorities will listen to concerns and ensure that actions reflect the collective will of the community.

Herrera Quian said the municipal name change is to reinforce the identity of Playa del Carmen, one of the most emblematic cities in the Mexican Caribbean, since it is the name most associated with the tourist city.
He says the name change, if approved, will be done in an inclusive manner and based on well-defined legal and social criteria. The name change debate will be made public in coming months.
In November, Solidaridad Mayor Estefanía Mercado Asencio said she will propose a municipal name change to City Council then State Congress. If approved, she will open a public consult into a name change from Solidaridad to Playa del Carmen.