The epic battle for sand: when the Senate plays savior of the public beach
In a plot twist that no one saw coming, but that everyone expected with the skepticism of someone checking whether they won the lottery, the Senate of the Republic has received with great fanfare – or, rather, with a file and a turn to committees – a minute from the Chamber of Deputies. Its declared mission is as noble as it is apparently utopian: to guarantee that access to maritime beaches and border areas is free, free and permanent for all. Yes, you read that right: for everyone, whether you’re a tycoon or a mere mortal who just wants to slather on sunscreen without being charged for shade.
It seems that our legislators, in a fit of collective lucidity, have decided that the sea and sand are not an exclusive property of tourist complexes with names in English and fences disguised with palm trees. The proposal, which seeks to reform the General Law of National Assets and the General Law of Balance and Protection of the Environment, reminds us of something that, in theory, we already knew: the federal maritime-terrestrial zone belongs, precisely, to the nation. What a revolutionary concept, right?
The detail is in the legislative ‘buts’
The initiative specifies, with a solemnity that almost makes one cry, that access to the coastlines cannot be “inhibited, restricted, hindered or conditioned.” Of course, this is the case “except in cases established by other laws or administrative regulations.” That’s the crux. It’s like saying, “Entry is completely free, except when it’s not.” A space for maneuver so large that a couple of luxury resorts, a few real estate projects and, why not, a water theme park could sneak in. The magic of small print.
In addition, the reform strongly prohibits the imposition of charges, quotas or restrictive conditions for entering the beaches. A bold measure against those attempts at covert privatization where, suddenly, you have to pay for a bracelet, for “improved” access or simply for coastal oxygen. However, and here comes another ‘but’ of those that we enjoy so much, a reservation is made “by express provision for prevention and environmental protection, public safety or national interest.” That is to say, everything can change if an official decides that, in the name of the environment, it is better that no one step on the sand. The irony of protecting a space by preventing people from enjoying it is simply delicious.
But the height of legislative ingenuity comes with the obligation imposed on the authorities to guarantee free access to the protected natural areas under their jurisdiction… at least one day a week! Imagine the scene: nature, that supreme good, will be available to the people for free every seven days. The rest of the week, it is assumed, is for the ecosystems to rest from our annoying presence or, perhaps, so that someone else can monetize that silence and beauty. Of course, access will be done “with full respect for care measures.” Translation: don’t even think about bringing a speaker or leaving a cigarette butt, because then we will have a problem.
This draft decree, this jewel of citizen hope, was sent by the co-legislator and was sent to the Tourism and First Legislative Studies commissions, for their “opinion and approval.” Or what is the same: it has entered the bureaucratic labyrinth where brilliant initiatives are going to lose their luster, to be shredded, analyzed and, with a little luck, approved with so many modifications that they end up looking more like a permit to privatize than a free access law. Time, that implacable judge, will reveal to us whether this is a true victory for the ordinary citizen or simply another act of political theater to appease tempers.
Meanwhile, we can happily speculate: Will Mexicans be able to bathe in the sea without having to pay a disguised “floor fee”? Will the beach become that common good that it should always be, or will we continue dodging cordons and negotiating with community “vigilantes”? The fight for control of the coast, that precious treasure, has just entered a new and sarcastic phase. One can almost smell the irony mixed with the sea breeze.
Can you imagine being able to enjoy a beach without unpleasant surprises in the form of unjustified charges? Share this news on your social networks and help us make the discussion about the right to enjoy our natural spaces viral. Explore more content related to the laws that impact your daily life and discover how they affect you!
