Mexico Files Criminal Charges Against Mennonites Over Illegal Forest Clearing

Mexico’s environmental protection agency is pursuing criminal charges against Mennonites accused of illegally clearing more than 2,600 hectares (6,425 acres) of forest across the Yucatán Peninsula.

The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) announced it has filed two criminal complaints and plans to file five more against the religious communities. The charges stem from inspections conducted between May 28 and June 14 that uncovered widespread unauthorized forest clearing across seven properties.

Profepa referred the cases to the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Environmental Crimes (FEIDA), which handles environmental violations that could result in prison sentences of three months to 12 years. If convicted, defendants could face prison time and property confiscation.

The affected properties span three southeastern states: three sites in Quintana Roo totaling 1,300 hectares (3,212 acres), two in Campeche covering 702 hectares (1,735 acres), and two in Yucatán encompassing 606 hectares (1,497 acres). All are located in areas where Mennonite populations have been expanding.

During inspections, authorities discovered the removal of protected species, including mahogany, Florida thatch palm and rare orchids. Profepa also seized 108.5 square meters of timber, three tractors and various agricultural equipment.

In Tekax, Yucatán, inspectors found 39.6 hectares (98 acres) of cleared forest with leveled terrain and heavy machinery tracks. The site showed evidence of disturbed soil and charred remains, indicating preparation for unauthorized agricultural activities.

Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena called the Mennonites “genuinely a severe environmental problem” and noted that some community members brandished weapons to prevent authorities from inspecting their properties.

Mennonites Face Eviction

Quintana Roo Environment Minister Óscar Rébora is working on an eighth case. “We’re looking for a strategy to evict [the Mennonites] and restore the damaged properties,” he told El Economista newspaper. However, he warned that restoration might be difficult due to the harsh pesticides on the cleared land.

The charges reflect broader tensions over Mennonite agricultural expansion in southeastern Mexico. The religious communities first arrived in northern Mexico from Canada in the 1920s, establishing themselves as essential crop producers. A few thousand moved to Campeche’s forests in the 1980s, buying and leasing tracts of jungle from local Maya indigenous communities.

In recent years, more Mennonites have migrated south as climate change worsened drought in northern Mexico. According to a 2022 census, approximately 74,122 Mennonites live in Mexico, with about 15,000 now in Campeche, spread across roughly 20 settlements.

According to Global Forest Watch, the Maya Forest, smaller only than the Amazon, is shrinking annually by an area the size of Dallas. The forest is one of North America’s biggest carbon sinks and provides habitat for endangered jaguars and up to 400 bird species.

Environmental groups have linked the forest clearing to bee die-offs affecting local honey production. Heavy pesticide use from cleared lands contributes to mass bee deaths across the Yucatán Peninsula, contaminating honey that had previously met European Union organic standards. The Environment Ministry has launched programs with Indigenous communities and beekeepers to protect regional bee populations.

The Mexican government previously signed agreements with some Campeche Mennonite settlements to stop land deforestation, though not all communities participated. Despite these agreements, Reuters journalists witnessed ongoing forest clearing in Mennonite villages as recently as 2022.

Community leaders have defended their practices for agricultural toil is a core tenet of Mennonite Christian faith. “Our people just want to be left in peace,” said one Mennonite settlement leader. At the same time, another expressed belief that “if the government shuts us down, God will open for us.”

This isn’t the first time Mennonite communities have faced environmental charges. Between 2008 and 2009, Profepa filed 18 criminal complaints against Mennonites in Campeche and imposed fines totaling 2.8 million pesos.

The criminal charges mark an escalation from administrative penalties. By pursuing criminal charges instead of only administrative sanctions, federal authorities aim to deter future clear-cutting and reinforce that no group is above environmental law.

Since 2024, the agency has kept more than 200 administrative proceedings open in Yucatán, many related to illegal land-use changes in forested areas.