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State officials present Zaragoza Canal as potential project to US investors

Chetumal, Q.R. — The government of Quintana Roo says it has held meeting with US investors to promote conceptual projects of the Zaragoza Canal. In a statement, the government reported a meeting between the Comprehensive Port Administration of Quintana Roo (Apiqroo) headed by Alicia Ricalde Magaña and investors from the United States.

The meetings were had August 16 and 17 in Orlando, Florida and also included the state governor Carlos Joaquín. Business opportunities through viable developments and attractions that surround the Zaragoza Canal were presented.

“We went on a tour with the state governor, Carlos Joaquín, at the invitation of the Mexican consul in Orlando, Juan José Sabines Guerrero. Several government secretariats went to present different projects for investment and business opportunities in the State of Quintana Roo (…) which included the Zaragoza Canal as a project,” said Alicia Ricalde Magaña.

She explained that detailed information was provided on the Zaragoza Canal, in which there is feasibility to land projects such as a home port for first, second and third generation ships, a marina, ecotourism villas and a cargo terminal, in addition to highlighting the tourist attractions that surround the seaway which are Chetumal, Mahahual, Xcalak and the Banco Chinchorro coral reef barrier.

She added that investors were told that in the area “there is certainty in land tenure. We have the environmental and urban regulations to be able to say that, in a strip of fifty hectares, mixed projects, housing or hotel-type villas, can be carried out,” describing that 750 rooms can be developed and that there are densities for 15 villas per hectare.

During the meeting which included around 60 investors, Ricalde Magaña said they also pointed out that with the canal, “we would be the gateway to Central America, (…) the business opportunity with Central America would be viable,” making it clear that Quintana Roo has a twinning with the port of Santo Tomás de Castilla in Guatemala and another that is being prepared with the island of Roatán in Honduras.

“Which makes the Zaragoza Canal not only a maritime project, but also a tourist one to detonate the economic development of the south of the state and benefit the people of Quintana Roo who do not have a job,” she noted, asserting “we need a private initiative so that this project, which belongs to the federation as well as the governor of the state and the municipality of Chetumal, becomes a reality and thereby satisfies the demand for jobs in the southern part of the country.”

“We are giving the opportunity to investors who are looking for new projects, and on this occasion, the Zaragoza Canal was presented as a business opportunity,” she said.