The News

Senate seeking Tajamar answers

There are a total of 128 square kilometers of wetlands in Mexico. BY VÍCTOR MAYÉN The News MEXICO CITY – Senate Special Commission for Climate Change President Silvia Garza Galván announced that she will call on Environment Secretary Rafael Pacchiano Alamán and Federal Prosecutor for Environmental Protection Guillermo Haro Bélchez in order to help explain the destruction and ecocide in the Tajamar mangrove swamp in Cancun, Quintana Roo. The PAN member said that the environmental authorities’ lack of action regarding the case is unacceptable. Garza was also critical of the position taken by the National Tourism Promotion Fund (Fonatur) and the Environment Secretariat, who recently defended their actions on the Tajamar case. Garza confirmed that she would ask both Pacchiano and Haro to give their opinion on events. “This must not go unpunished. The damage is done and those responsible should be dealt with accordingly. As president of the Special Commission for Climate Change, I have to call on all the current and former officials,” said Garza. Luz María Beristain Navarrete, a PRD member who also works on the commission, agreed that the conduct of the environmental authorities on this issue has been unsatisfactory. “The politicians in Quintana Roo, those who are in government at the moment … they think that we are making this issue a political one. But this issue … is not only an issue for Quintana Roo, nor for Mexico. It is a very grave, international issue,” said Beristain.