MÉRIDA, Mexico — Environmental activists in Yucatán have called for a peaceful protest in Mérida to oppose a real estate development project that threatens the coastal dunes of Chuburná Puerto in the municipality of Progreso. Activists warned that destroying the coastal dune system could result in severe, irreversible ecological damage. Dunes serve as a vital natural defense against hurricanes, protect freshwater aquifers from saltwater intrusion, and provide crucial habitat for protected species. Protesters are demanding that federal and state governments immediately revoke environmental permits, halt land clearing, conduct audits, and enforce ecological restoration. State officials emphasized that protecting the coastal environment remains a priority, assuring the public that no damage to mangroves or coastal dunes will be tolerated.