On Wednesday, the blockade that was carried out by the residents of Graciano Sánchez, also known as La Pantera community, on the short route to Merida, began at 5:00 a.m. They demanded that the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) pay them compensation of more than 100 million pesos for the expropriation of 22 hectares of land that were used for the construction of the road more than 60 years ago.
It should be noted that due to the closure of the road and the traffic generated, the ejidatarios began to charge a toll.
Drivers had to pay a fee of 100 pesos, and to be exact, the passage was opened every hour so that cars could pass.
However, all this dissatisfaction caused by the roadblock and toll collection arose when the commitment to pay compensation for the expropriation was fulfilled with Tihosuco and Tepich, but not with Graciano Sánchez. Thus, the demonstration could be permanent.
State government representatives have already approached the demonstrators, but they have stated that they do not have the authority to pay for the compensation, and offered to mediate with the Federal Government.
It should be noted that the short route to Merida, as its name implies, is the most direct way to reach the neighboring state of Yucatan, passing through several communities in the municipalities of Bacalar, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and Jose Maria Morelos. It was built 60 years ago and since then, the ejidatarios have not been compensated.
Currently, they are demanding a payment of 24 million pesos as compensation for the expropriation of 24 hectares of land that the Federal Government seized for the construction of that road.
TYT Newsroom
