Profepa Shuts Down Chuburná Dune Project, For Now

Construction at the contested “Las Dunas” real estate project in Chuburná Puerto came to a halt Thursday after Mexico’s environmental enforcement agency posted closure seals at the site, according to activists and local media who visited the property.

Members of the collective Salvemos Las Dunas said a banner reading “Clausurado,” bearing the logos of the Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente, or Profepa, appeared at the site early Thursday. Reporters from Diario de Yucatán confirmed the banner was posted and that no machinery or workers were active at the property.

Profepa had not issued an official statement as of Thursday afternoon, so the scope and duration of the closure remain unconfirmed. Diario de Yucatán reported the action falls under case file PFPA/YUC/092/IA/2026, with an open investigation numbered ExpPFPA/3712/354/0080-26, based on details visible on the banner itself. Similar closures at other Yucatán coastal sites have historically turned out to be temporary, pending further review.

The project has drawn sustained opposition since work began clearing dune vegetation earlier this summer. Developer Designia Desarrollos plans to build 138 apartments across 14 towers on a roughly 92,017-square-meter site — about 22.7 acres — divided into two sections. One section would hold 72 units in eight five-level buildings; the other, 66 units in six six-level towers, along with pools, a cafeteria and commercial space. Units have been advertised starting at MX$8.5 million, or roughly US$489,000.

The project’s permitting history has been part of the controversy. Semarnat, Mexico’s federal environmental agency, initially denied authorization in 2023 because the site fell within a zone classified as highly vulnerable under Progreso’s urban development plan. Changes to that plan, along with municipal and state permits issued afterward, allowed the federal agency to approve the project last year. The announced investment also dropped sharply over that period, from MX$120 million in 2023 to MX$18 million in 2024, while the budget earmarked for environmental mitigation stayed flat at MX$200,000, or about US$11,500.

Yucatán’s state government formally asked Semarnat and Profepa last week to verify the developer’s compliance with its federal permits, following weeks of complaints from residents and environmental groups. Opponents say the dune system serves as a natural buffer against hurricanes and provides habitat for species including the Yucatán wren, a bird considered endangered, along with nesting sea turtles.

Salvemos Las Dunas said its planned demonstration will go ahead as scheduled Friday at 6 p.m. at the Monumento a la Patria in Mérida, regardless of the closure’s outcome. Organizers said they’re waiting for more information on the terms of the shutdown before declaring the fight over.

Yucatán Magazine reported last week that more than 43,000 people had signed a petition demanding a halt to the project.

Fast Facts

• Location: Chuburná Puerto, Progreso municipality
• Developer: Designia Desarrollos
• Project size: About 92,017 square meters (22.7 acres)
• Planned units: 138 apartments across 14 towers, two sections
• Starting price: MX$8.5 million (about US$489,000)
• Closure case file: PFPA/YUC/092/IA/2026
• Protest: Friday, 6 p.m., Monumento a la Patria, Mérida

With reporting from Diario de Yucatán, Haz Ruido and La Jornada, along with Yucatán Magazine’s previous coverage of the project