Background on the Parties Involved
In Quintana Roo, a federal judge has issued a temporary suspension against land use changes requested by Royal Caribbean for their Perfect Day project in Mahahual. The legal challenge, file number 4/2026, was initiated by Defendiendo el Derecho a un Medio Ambiente Sano (DMAS), an environmental association led by Antonella Vázquez Cavedón.
Details of the Suspension
The temporary restraining order halts the implementation of changes to Othón P. Blanco’s (OPB) urban development program and prevents Royal Caribbean from exercising any rights derived from these changes until the amparo lawsuit is resolved. This includes suspending any certificates, permits, or licenses based on these alterations.
The judge also preliminarily acknowledged that there are grounds for immediate environmental protection due to potential risks to the mangrove ecosystem, water rights pressure, existing infrastructure, the scale of the proposed tourism project, and adherence to precautionary and in dubio pro natura principles in environmental matters.
Vázquez Cavedón highlighted that the judge recognized Mahahual’s insufficient sanitation infrastructure, which could exacerbate the environmental impacts of a large-scale project like Perfect Day.
“This resolution does not yet decide the core issue, but it confirms that there are sufficient reasons to prevent potentially irreversible damages while the judicial branch examines the legality of the contested acts,” she added.
DMAS emphasizes that they are not against development but advocate for respecting the law, urban planning, and the community’s right to a healthy environment.
Next Steps
An upcoming hearing will determine if the temporary suspension remains throughout the lawsuit. The contested modifications to the OPB Urban Development Plan were approved on December 1, 2025, and published in the Quintana Roo Official Gazette five days later. These changes were granted to Royal Caribbean following the submission of a technical report by the mayor, which requested land use changes over 107 hectares to eliminate roadways and restrictions for constructing the park’s water slide as per Royal Caribbean’s Mahahual project plans.
“The mayor presented the technical report to the council, who approved the reconfiguration of the UDP based on Article 64 of Quintana Roo’s Human Settlement Law,” DMAS president explained at the time.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the legal challenge about? The environmental association DMAS, led by Antonella Vázquez Cavedón, filed a lawsuit (file number 4/2026) against the OPB mayor and council for approving land use changes without public consultation for Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day project in Mahahual.
- What does the temporary suspension entail? A federal judge has temporarily halted the implementation of changes to OPB’s urban development program and prevented Royal Caribbean from exercising any rights derived from these changes until the lawsuit is resolved.
- Why was the suspension granted? The judge preliminarily acknowledged potential risks to the mangrove ecosystem, water rights pressure, existing infrastructure, and adherence to environmental principles as grounds for immediate protection.
- What is DMAS’s stance? DMAS supports development but advocates for respecting the law, urban planning, and ensuring a healthy environment for the community.
- What happens next? An upcoming hearing will decide if the temporary suspension remains throughout the lawsuit.
