Parents, teachers, and members of a local civil organization blocked the Transpeninsular Highway in both directions at El Pescadero on Friday afternoon, demanding authorities stop what they call an illegal seizure of land where their children’s school operates.
School Land at Center of Conflict
The blockade, which disrupted traffic intermittently near the farming community about 70 kilometers south of La Paz, was organized by members of Comunidades Originarias de California (CORIC), a civil association, along with parents and educators. The protesters are fighting to protect the property occupied by Escuela Lagunillas, a community school run by CONAFE (the National Council for Educational Development), which they say is the only school serving children in the area.
Demonstrators accused unnamed parties of attempting to strip the school of its land and called on state and municipal authorities to intervene immediately. The dispute falls within the broader category of land regularization conflicts common in rapidly developing parts of southern Baja California Sur, where informal settlements and competing property claims frequently clash.
Highway Disruption on Key Tourist Route
El Pescadero sits along Highway 19, which connects La Paz to Cabo San Lucas through Todos Santos. The Transpeninsular Highway intersection near El Pescadero is a critical corridor for travelers moving between Los Cabos and the state capital. Friday’s intermittent closures forced drivers to wait as protesters periodically allowed vehicles to pass.
The school at the center of the dispute, Lagunillas, reportedly operates with minimal infrastructure. Local media have previously reported that students at the El Pescadero campus attend classes in structures made of canvas and wood, a situation the community says makes protecting the land even more urgent.
Broader Land Conflicts in BCS
Land tenure disputes are a recurring issue across Baja California Sur, where rapid tourism-driven development in the Los Cabos corridor and surrounding agricultural areas has intensified pressure on communal and informal landholdings. The Colonia 8 de Octubre neighborhood, where many of the protesters reside, is among several communities in the El Pescadero area seeking formal recognition of their land rights.
No government officials have publicly responded to the protesters’ demands as of Friday evening. The situation remains unresolved, and organizers have not ruled out further actions if authorities fail to address their concerns. The story was first reported by Noticias La Paz and Tribuna de México.