Fonatur and its ambitious plan to rescue 16,000 hectares to convert them into protected areas

Mexico’s government will transform land belonging to the National Fund for the Promotion of Tourism (Fonatur) for the conservation of natural spaces, as stated by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador during his morning conference this Thursday at the National Palace. The President assured that these spaces will be protected so that they will not be profited from again and can also be used by the citizens.

On February 7, the head of the Executive Power informed that an analysis would be carried out to determine if it was necessary to rescue these properties in places such as Huatulco, Baja California Sur, Nayarit, and even Cancun. On that day he added that this decision was made to avoid corruption in the management of some of the lands in charge of the agency for years.

Javier May Rodríguez, General Director of the Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo, indicated that there are at least 16,414.07 hectares of natural areas in Mexico in possession of the institution that can be protected. With this, he said, real estate corruption will be combated and the right to access public spaces in the following states will be protected.

• Baja California: 66.80 hectares.
• Baja California Sur: eight thousand 64.69 hectares.
• Guerrero: 981.71 hectares.
• Oaxaca: 5,263.18 hectares.
• Quintana Roo: 115.79 hectares.
• Sinaloa: 1,921.87 hectares.

He pointed out that Fonatur’s properties were privileges for some officials who were in charge of selling these spaces that belong to the people of Mexico for the benefit of some who profited with public resources at the expense of the people.

This plan will be implemented in 180 working days, according to Adán Peña Fuentes, National Commissioner of Natural Protected Areas. This will protect species such as the San Quintin kangaroo rat, the Baja California stone lizard, the Gila Monster, the Jaguars that still inhabit Oaxaca, as well as the green guacamaya and the striped-headed tanager of Quintana Roo.

He indicated that some of these areas could be converted into national parks so that the population can enter these areas and enjoy nature.

The goal, he commented, is to have at least 190 protected natural areas. With this, a total of one million points destined to the conservation of ejidos and communities could be inherited to the next government.

TYT Newsroom