The Los Cabos municipal government has filed formal complaints with PROFEPA (Mexico’s Federal Environmental Prosecutor) after shutting down unauthorized land clearing at two properties near the Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve. Municipal ecology director Gustavo Castro Zumaya confirmed both sites were closed immediately after inspectors documented the violations.
Two Properties Shut Down Without Permits
The two affected properties, known as San Miguelito and El Romerillal, were found to have active vegetation removal and damage to endemic plant species. Neither property had the required permits or a biological rescue plan in place, both of which are mandatory under Mexican environmental law before any land clearing can begin.
Municipal inspectors discovered earth movement and construction activity at San Miguelito earlier this month. That site was ordered closed on or around May 13, according to local reporting. El Romerillal was shut down under the same inspection sweep.
Close Proximity to Critical Water Zone
While neither property falls inside the boundaries of the Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve, both sit just 3.8 kilometers from its edge. That buffer zone is considered critical for aquifer recharge, the underground water supply that provides fresh water to the entire Los Cabos municipality, including Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.
The Sierra de la Laguna is the primary mountain range in the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. Its watersheds feed the aquifers that Los Cabos depends on, making unauthorized clearing in adjacent areas a direct threat to the region’s limited freshwater supply.
Escalation to Federal Authorities
By filing with PROFEPA rather than handling the cases through municipal sanctions alone, the Los Cabos government has escalated the matter to federal jurisdiction. PROFEPA has the authority to impose fines, order ecological restoration at the violator’s expense, and pursue criminal charges for environmental damage.
The move follows a broader pattern of environmental enforcement in Los Cabos this year. In April, a citizen complaint led inspectors to an illegal debris dump in Cabo San Lucas, resulting in a business closure. The municipality has also been dealing with land invasion issues, with state authorities identifying six alleged leaders of illegal land occupations in the Los Cabos area in April.
Castro Zumaya’s decision to involve federal prosecutors puts property owners on notice: unpermitted clearing near protected zones in Los Cabos now carries exposure beyond local fines. PROFEPA penalties for unauthorized vegetation removal can reach millions of pesos, and convicted violators may face mandatory restoration orders.
This story was first reported by Colectivo Pericú.