Mérida Marchers Give State 10 Days on Israeli Water Deals

Hundreds of protesters marched on Yucatán’s seat of government Sunday and gave the state a deadline: make any agreements with Israel public and guarantee that the state’s water stays in local hands.

The march started at Parque de Santiago and ended at the Palacio de Gobierno. Media estimates put the crowd between 700 and more than 1,000 people. A delegation delivered a list of demands to the head of the governor’s office, who promised a response within 10 days, according to one report.

“Fuera Israel de Yucatán,” marchers chanted as they crossed the Centro. Families, students, older residents, and Maya community groups carried Palestinian and Mexican flags. They called on all three levels of government to cut ties with Israel. Police escorted the march, and no incidents were reported.

The Palestine Solidarity Committee in Yucatán organized the protest. It came together in less than a week, after Pro Agro Innovación 2026, an agribusiness expo held Oct. 9-11 at the Centro de Convenciones Yucatán Siglo XXI. Israel was a featured guest with six companies, most of them in water technology. Israel’s ambassador to Mexico, Yoed Magen, attended and spoke.

Rural Development Secretary Edgardo Medina Rodríguez represented Gov. Joaquín Díaz Mena at the expo. He said the event aimed to connect local producers with technology, financing, and markets.

Activists say that is the problem. They warn that foreign water technology could leave Yucatán dependent on private suppliers. A statement from opposing groups urged the state to close the door to Mekorot, Israel’s national water company. Several outlets reported that there is no evidence any Israeli firm controls or plans to control the state’s water, or that Mekorot operates here. The six companies have not been publicly identified.

The stakes are high in a state with no rivers or lakes. Nearly all of Yucatán’s fresh water comes from a porous limestone aquifer that is already strained by development and pollution.

Marchers also targeted a 2021 letter of intent between then-Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal’s administration and Israel’s embassy. The pressure is coming from inside the governor’s own party as well. On Oct. 12, Morena’s state leadership urged the expo’s organizers to reconsider the Israeli firms’ participation.

The fight is spreading beyond Yucatán. In Chihuahua, a water-cooperation deal with Israel’s foreign ministry drew a national march in August.

At the palace, the crowd also rallied behind Josefina Ramos González, 70. She had camped outside the palace since Thursday over a MX$500 (about US$27) water bill from Japay, the state water utility, and a widow’s pension she said had been denied for 10 years. “Todas somos Josefina,” marchers chanted, meaning “We are all Josefina.”

The state says it has paid her pension, forgiven the water debt, and started repairs on the well outside her home. She disputes parts of that account. Citing her health, she ended her sit-in Sunday and said she may return in 10 days.

Organizers say more water protests are coming in November.

The march at a glance

• When: Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026
• Route: Parque de Santiago to the Palacio de Gobierno
• Organizer: Comité de Solidaridad con Palestina en Yucatán
• Turnout: About 700 to more than 1,000, by media estimates
• Demand: Release of any state agreements with Israel
• Deadline: State response promised within 10 days
• Next: More water protests planned for November

With reporting from La Jornada, Luces del Siglo, Digital News QR, 24 Horas, Haz Ruido, Noticaribe, El Congresista, and Diario de Yucatán