Playa del Carmen Prison Transfer Stalled by Land Ownership Dispute

The transfer of Playa del Carmen prison to the State Government has been halted due to a dispute over the land's ownership. Cecilio Puc Sansores, the general secretary of the Solidaridad city council, stated that the uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the land on which the prison is built has complicated the transfer process.

The Playa del Carmen Municipal Detention Centre, currently managed by the Solidaridad government, houses approximately 500 inmates. Many of these inmates are held for common crimes and have yet to be sentenced.

Sansores explained, "We are trying to transfer the prison to the State Government, who should be operating these municipal prisons. The legal certainty of who owns the plot has been a point of contention for both the state and the municipality."

This dispute has prevented the administrative process of transferring control of the prison to the relevant department of the Quintana Roo Government. If the Solidaridad government is successful in delegating responsibility to the state, it could save around 30 million pesos annually. These funds could then be reallocated to other areas of local public administration.

Sansores added, "The Municipal Detention Centre also houses individuals arrested in nearby municipalities such as Tulum and Puerto Morelos, and even some sent from Cancún. This results in a high number of people deprived of their freedom."

The prison is located on ejido lands, where there has been ongoing controversy over land tenure. The ejido has frequently donated lots, but the transfers were not firmly established by previous administrations.

The issue of prison transfers dates back to 2019 when the National Human Rights Commission ordered the closure of several centres, including Playa del Carmen. However, only the Felipe Carrillo Puerto case was fully resolved, with attention focused on Chetumal.