Cenotes in the Ejidal Land Market of Eastern Yucatan (2013-2016)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the value of cenotes in the ejidal land market of a rural village in Eastern Yucatan. Faced with the growing sale of ejidal lands with cenotes —one of the most important water sources in this Mexican state— I illustrate the strategies used by a group of ejidatarios to defend their community’s access to water and to reject its commodification.

I argue that the most effective strategy used by this group is derived from the local appropriation of land legislation, given the limitations of water laws to guarantee people’s access to that resource. The paper is based on fieldwork carried out in 2016.