Graffiti in Progreso is a headache for authorities.Photo: Punto Medio

Graffiti mars Progreso’s streets, hurting its public image

ByYucatán Magazine
Graffiti in Progreso is a headache for authorities. Photo: Punto Medio

Progreso, Yucatán — Graffiti has gotten worse in the port city, hampering efforts to improve its image before both residents and visitors.

And repairing the vandalism is a cost that the city — which has been behind on its electricity bills — can hardly afford.

Vandals have targeted businesses, public buildings and even private homes. When cruise ships pull into Progreso, graffiti is one of the city’s most noticeable features, beyond the beach and the malecón.

School teachers told a local newspaper that in the last few months they have been victims of the graffiti “artists.”

When the scrawl is painted over, within days the vandals return and spray over the paint, they said.

“Where are the authorities and what are they doing to solve these problems? Where is the mayor?” unnamed teachers implored Progreso Hoy, a local newspaper. “Why not take a tour of the colonies of the port to see where more vigilance is needed?”

The newspaper suggested anti-graffiti should be implemented. Authorities should set aside assign spaces so that restless youths can express themselves without marking up fences and facades, suggested Progreso Hoy.

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