Chichen Itza is open to the public, but controversy remains unsolved

The director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) reported that the dialogue between managers, artisans, ejidatarios and street vendors continues without resolution in Chichen Itza

The director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Yucatán, José Arturo Chab Cárdenas, highlighted the progress of the dialogue table with the ejidatarios, artisans, street vendors and tourist guides of Chichén Itzá, however, the commissioner of Pisté , Armando Dzul Mex, lamented the federal government’s lack of compliance with his main demand in the petition: the departure of Marco Antonio Santos Ramírez, as director of the area of ​​historical monuments.

The nonconformist expressed that 12 days after the start of the dialogue tables, there is no agreement with the INAH-Yucatán Center. He acknowledged that “there are meetings almost daily, but no agreements are reached, because Santos Ramírez continues as director of Chichén Itzá.

Interviewed by telephone, he warned that “the joint agreements will begin as soon as said federal official is dismissed, otherwise, there will be no prompt solution.”

For his part, the director of the INAH-Yucatán Center refuted the rumors of another possible closure of the archaeological zone. He highlighted the importance of a proactive work group, in which the communities surrounding the site are served, with issues inherently ejido and other related to said populations.

He assured that legal advice tables have been held as well as file review, and now, “what follows is to establish collaboration agreements between the communities and the INAH. Work mechanisms were established, in such a way that they are cared for and the INAH can care for and preserve the cultural heritage, ”she said.

Regarding the supposed rumor of another possible closure of the archaeological zone, Chab Cárdenas denied it and asserted that “the work tables are daily and, so far, this concern has not been expressed.”

For now, “there is a common agreement, that of ensuring that the archaeological zone remains open, to trigger the economic activity of the populations surrounding the site.”

On the other hand, regarding the demands of the Union of Residents of Chablekal for the Right to Tenure of Land, Territory and Natural Resources, which demands payment for the ejido lands of Dzibilchaltún, he clarified that there is an agreement signed with the ejidatarios. He recommended said association to carry out the corresponding procedures to attend to their demands.

In the case of the Ek’Balam ejidatarios, he ruled that they are misinformed, badly advised by people who are unaware of the law, and have met with officials who have nothing to do with the federal government. He lamented the attitude of associations and ejidatarios who intend to create smoke screens around the archaeological zones to affect the Mayan Train project.

He ruled out conflicts with the archaeological zone of Chacmultún, where a Visitor Service Center (Catvi) is already being built, since it is private property and plots.