Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - Following the recent protests in Puerto Vallarta that resulted in the closure of main roads by groups opposing the implementation of vehicle emissions tests in Jalisco, business leaders have called on city and state officials to take a more assertive stance in preventing protesters from occupying major city arteries.
In a letter addressed to Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez and Puerto Vallarta Mayor Luis Alberto Michel Rodríguez, the business sector issued a "respectful and vigorous public appeal to state and municipal authorities". The letter emphasized their duty and commitment to ensure security, tranquility, peace, and orderly public life in cities and municipalities.
The letter urges the officials to defend the right of the general public and tourists to unhindered transit and effective terrestrial mobility between Puerto Vallarta and the metropolitan area, particularly noting the importance of interaction within the municipality of Bahía de Banderas.
The statement, signed by nine tourism and business organizations, points out that professional protesters have seemingly infiltrated the movement, with participants who are not even residents of the city. The text warns of this situation, stating:
“Our call is also directed at the group of protesters, whose actions suggest they are professional agitators. This activity harms society at large. There's a high possibility that these are foreign groups that are unconnected to our city's economy and have contributed nothing to the development of our tourist destination.”
The protesters' blockades, particularly on the entrance avenue to Puerto Vallarta in front of the Verificentro and the Ameca river bridge, are obstructing the efforts of countless families. These two essential roads enable productive and economic activities in our region and are crucial for traffic and vehicular commerce, accommodating the daily mobility of thousands on our few main and subsidiary roads.
"A city like Puerto Vallarta, with its primary focus on tourism, cannot be held hostage to the whims of a few individuals infringing on free transit and disrupting our already inadequate and inefficient mobility system," the letter emphasizes.
In conclusion, the letter underlines the demand for order, security, and free passage on the roads. It also urges officials to promptly provide alternative solutions to the blockades and disagreements voiced in public protests, which are causing vehicular chaos and tarnishing the reputation of our tourist destination, affecting the daily life and efforts of our diligent citizens.
