Residents in Playa del Carmen Take a Stand Against Sedetus Officials.

Residents of the Luis Donaldo Colosio neighborhood in Playa del Carmen have symbolically shut down the offices of the Sustainable Urban Territorial Development Secretariat (Sedetus). They've placed cardboard signs on the doors to protest what they believe to be corrupt practices by federal officials responsible for property regularization and title delivery.

Three residents, Gabriel Cabañas, Julio Cano, and Gildardo Sosa, have accused staff from the National Institute of Sustainable Soil (Insus) and Sedetus of misconduct. They've called for an investigation and, if any wrongdoing is found, for the removal of the guilty parties. They claim that these officials are demanding high fees from original settlers, despite previous promises that property deeds would be issued free of charge.

The residents also allege that some officials request payments to speed up the process, while others simply delay proceedings. They claim that they were not informed by the State's Attorney General's office about the recovery of plot 246, which even houses a school.

The residents were told that the backlog of cases would take four years to clear, including the regularization and delivery of deeds. Other legal issues, such as the death of individuals and multiple ownership claims, have further delayed the titling process. However, for those with all their documents in order, the reason for the halt in titling their property remains unclear.

The residents recall a meeting with state authorities a month and a half ago where they were promised a resolution. Instead, they claim, "the delivery process has been halted, high fees are being demanded, and unreasonable payment deadlines are being set." They're calling on the relevant authorities to investigate the officials overseeing the regularization process, accusing them of exploiting and profiting from the local community.