Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – Adjacent to the Cuale River, two new structures are being erected, much to the concern of locals. This construction site was scrutinized by Enrique Alfaro, the Governor of Jalisco, two years prior, when it was revealed to have contributed to a devastating accident during Hurricane Nora. In the wake of the hurricane, dozens of tires used for landfill alongside the river were swept into the Cuale River bed, creating a dam that led to erosion beneath a building. Tragically, this erosion resulted in the building’s collapse, claiming the life of an 11-year-old boy.
The impending 2023 hurricane season is now inducing fear in local residents, who worry about the potential disaster that could be triggered by a significant flood sweeping river-adjacent material downstream.
In his visit to Puerto Vallarta on September 2, 2021, Governor Alfaro voiced these concerns. He said, “Just look at where that building stands, within the river. I urge Civil Protection to conduct a thorough review. It’s clear that land has been unlawfully claimed from federal areas. This explains part of the problem: the river flows beneath the building. It’s situations like these that exacerbate the danger posed by natural disasters like the recent one.”
Despite these warnings, two years later, not only has more river land been reclaimed, but two additional towers are being constructed as part of the same development. It’s as if a portion of the first building hadn’t been swept away, its concrete pool hadn’t been carried over a hundred meters downstream, and the tires hadn’t clogged the Cuale River.
The Governor’s ordered evaluations, if conducted, have not been made public. Meanwhile, the parents of Curro, the young boy who perished in the building collapse next to the Cuale River bridge, continue their pursuit of justice. They have filed criminal complaints with both the Jalisco Attorney General’s Office and the State Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office against municipal and state authorities.
