Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – In recent weeks, Puerto Vallarta and the State of Jalisco have witnessed a wave of protests against vehicle emission requirements that were implemented to curb air pollution, and it looks like protests will return in the coming weeks.
Update: Protests announced for April 21 and 29 in Puerto Vallarta
Citizens in Puerto Vallarta, particularly those organized under the Association of Mechanics for Emissions and Vehicle Repairs (Atervac), are spearheading the movement to end the program they deem as “a tax collector” and “affects the economy of families.” The dispute has escalated to the point of blocking major highways, causing disruptions to air travel and impacting the local tourism industry.
The protests, set to resume after the vacation period, have prompted concerns from the state government, which accuses Atervac of organizing protests with misinformation to reverse the law and put inspections back in the hands of independent mechanics. The new law has taken local mechanics out of the inspection business and put it in the hands of state-managed inspection centers, to ensure transparency and eliminate corruption that had marred the previous system.
However, Atervac and other critics of the program argue that the new law is unjust, as it disadvantages independent mechanics who have been excluded from the inspection business, and that it puts an additional burden on vehicle owners to meet the inspection requirements.
Despite the tensions between Atervac and the state government, the former has assured that the protests will be peaceful and not violate the guarantees of citizens or affect the rights of third parties. This comes after a previous protest on March 31, which resulted in the closure of the main highway between downtown Puerto Vallarta and the airport, causing significant disruptions to air travel. The blockade led to the cancellation of 32 flights, affecting more than 600 people, and leaving hundreds of tourists running down the streets with luggage to catch their flights.
The impact of the protests on air travel and the tourism industry has raised concerns among the state government and airport operators. Susana Rodríguez Mejía, a representative of the state government, expressed concern about the negative impact of these disruptions on the tourism industry, saying that international certifications are needed to attract more visitors. The cancellations and delays caused additional expenses and inconvenience for passengers, including those traveling on domestic Volaris flights. The negative experiences of affected passengers could have a lasting impact on the reputation of the destination, she added.
