Baja California Sur Governor Víctor Castro Cosío said the Port of Loreto had been operating irregularly and defended a recent decree as a purely administrative measure with no environmental implications. His comments on April 30 came roughly one week after two days of public protests in Loreto against the federal decree.
“It is an administrative decree… it has nothing to do with the environment at all,” Castro Cosío said, according to BCS Noticias. He accused critics of politicizing the issue without technical basis. The governor also said his administration did not promote the decree, stating the original intent was only to organize the port’s operations.
Federal Decree Sparked Protests in Loreto
The decree, published April 10 in Mexico’s Diario Oficial de la Federación, designates Loreto as an international port of height and cabotage. That classification allows the port to receive international vessels. On April 22, tourism operators, residents, and environmental groups protested for a second consecutive day in Loreto, carrying signs and voicing fears about damage to the marine ecosystem.
Fernando Martín Velazco of the Loreto Soundlab collective told El Universal that a key concern was potential modification of the coastline if new port infrastructure were built. Loreto sits along the Bahía de Loreto National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage buffer zone that protects some of the Sea of Cortez’s richest marine habitat. Local fishing cooperatives and maritime operators have begun a legal review of the decree and are demanding binding public consultation.
Governor Pledges Dialogue and Review
Castro Cosío said at least three community meetings have already taken place and more are scheduled. He expressed support for the Loreto municipal government and announced upcoming meetings with CONANP (the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas). María Marisa Abarca Hernández, the director general of Puertos de México, is also expected to visit Loreto for direct dialogue with residents.
The governor said any decision on maritime development in Loreto must prioritize community welfare, the town’s tourism identity, and protection of Natural Protected Areas. He added that the decree could be submitted for review if necessary. “This decree will not be what divides us from the people of Loreto,” he said.
Loreto, a town of roughly 20,000 people about 350 kilometers north of La Paz, draws visitors for sport fishing, kayaking, and whale watching in the national park’s waters. Environmental groups, including the Nakawe Project, have raised concerns that the decree bypassed requirements for prior public consultation and environmental impact assessment.
This story was first reported by BCS Noticias, with additional reporting from Círculo Político BCS.