Construction work at the Manzanillo-Cuyutlán port has begun without authorization from Semarnat (National Service of Marketing and Development).

COLIMA, Col., (apro) .- Although the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) has not issued the environmental authorization, dredging work has already begun on the Cuyutlán Lagoon as part of the Nuevo Manzanillo port project, denounced the association Defenders of the Environment and Resources of Tomorrow (Demarem), along with members of the Save Cuyutlán, Laguna Viva movement.

In a statement, the environmentalists noted that the presence of marine dredgers in the lagoon has been documented, which "violates the precautionary principle" and, in this context, the project "could be causing irreparable damage."

They recalled that Article 28 of the General Law on Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection (LGEEPA) establishes that no work with the potential to cause ecological imbalances may be initiated without prior authorization from Semarnat, which has not been complied with in this case.

Likewise, they denounced that the MIA-R omits an analysis of the cultural heritage in the area, particularly on Cocodrilos Island, one of the areas that would be affected by the construction of the new port.

"On that island, we have found an overwhelming number of pre-Hispanic remains. This evidence shows that not even the person responsible for the study has visited the area they claim to have impacted," they denounced.

Environmental defenders demanded a mandatory archaeological assessment, as its absence constitutes "a serious violation of the Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic, and Historical Monuments and Zones."

They warned that the lack of an archaeological study prevents the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) from fulfilling its functions, as it is not given the opportunity to determine the existence of remains or implement protective measures. Consequently, they warned, any cultural remains on the island run the risk of being irreversibly destroyed, which violates the spirit of the law, whose purpose is to preserve the national heritage for future generations.

They also questioned Semarnat's granting of only eight days to review a nearly 1,300-page document. They considered this deadline "ridiculous and irresponsible" and demanded compliance with Article 34 of the LGEEPA (Law on the Environment and Development Act), which allows for a public consultation to guarantee citizen participation in the evaluation process.

In its statement, Demarem also emphasized that the MIA lacks technical and multidisciplinary rigor, as it is signed by only one oceanologist. While acknowledging his expertise in this field, they insisted that a federal project with a high environmental risk should have a team of specialists from different areas to comprehensively assess the social, economic, and environmental impacts.

The lagoon's defenders warned that the Puerto Nuevo Manzanillo project would have irreversible effects on the region, including worsening the already existing shortage of drinking water; the dispossession of the fishermen's and salt workers' way of life, violating their human rights; the irreparable loss of biodiversity and the natural barriers that regulate climate change; and the disruption of ocean currents, which could lead to rising sea levels, the reduction of beaches, coastal erosion, and impacts on tourism.

Finally, Demarem stated that the port project does not represent progress for the people of Cuyutlán and Armería, but rather "destruction and dispossession."

They emphasized that true development for the region lies in supporting farmers suffering from water shortages, investing in public infrastructure for the benefit of citizens, and protecting the fishing, salt-producing, beekeeping, and farming cooperatives that depend on the lagoon while respecting their practices and ways of life.

"The port project, as currently planned, only means destruction and dispossession for the communities, a progress and development that we have neither asked for nor requested," they concluded.