INAH Yucatan to dialogue with protesters blocking access to Chichén Itzá

This Friday, the director of the INAH Yucatán Center, José Arturo Chab Cárdenas, offered a press conference to clarify the procedures that will be carried out, in view of the blockade to reach Chichén Itzá, carried out by artisans and members of the communities of San Felipe, Xcalacoop and Pisté, in the municipality of Tinum.

As has been reported, the protesters are requesting the dismissal of the general director of Chichén Itzá, Marco Antonio Santos Ramírez, for which reason they have blocked access to the archaeological zone, although it continues to receive the public.

Chab Cárdenas said that INAH’s position in Yucatán is to be open to dialogue with the demonstrators, although he regretted that federal highway 180 is still blocked by this organized group.

He emphasized that INAH has appealed to dialogue to defend the site, despite any interest.

“We have appealed to the three levels of government to establish a dialogue table, because this (blockade) affects other businesses, such as transporters, tour operators, hotel and restaurant owners, that is why we remain open to dialogue,” he said.

He indicated that tomorrow Saturday they will have a meeting with the Ejido of Xcalacoop, and will gradually hold other assemblies, since each of the three ejidos (San Felipe, Xcalacoop and Pisté) have different requests.

No complaints

He clarified that to date there is no official complaint or denunciation before the federal authorities against the director of Chichén Itzá, Marco Antonio Santos, nor against his personnel.

He affirmed that as long as there is no such process, the archaeologist will continue in his post.

Chichén Itzá remains open

The director of the INAH Yucatan Center reminded that the nucleus of the archaeological zone of Chichen Itza, which includes the Kukulcan Castle, the Ball Game and Chichen Viejo, is property of the Mexican State and in this sense, he specified that they will continue in the position of keeping the site open and guarded by the National Guard.

He also stated that there will be a historic investment of 2.1 billion pesos for Chichén Itzá, a site where no project of this type has been carried out for more than 20 years.

He recalled that the position of the business and tourism sectors is to support the project to expand the infrastructure of the archeological zone.

The Chichén Itzá blockade began last Monday and negotiations are expected to continue in order to free the highway.

TYT Newsroom