Along with many other local news outlets, Primera Hora announced today’s national march and public hearing to express its opposition to the proposed luxury hotel and residential mega-project “Esencia” and to warn about its potential impact on essential services, the environment, the economy, and the quality of life in southwestern Puerto Rico. The demonstration was organized by the Coalición Defiende a Cabo Rojo (DaCR) [Defend Cabo Rojo Coalition]. This is not the first demonstration or march protesting the project on the island. On March 28, 2026, thousands flooded the streets of San Juan in a march called “Cabo Rojo Se Defiende” [Cabo Rojo Defends Itself] which started at Sixto Escobar Park and ended at La Fortaleza (the governor’s mansion).
Today’s [Sunday, August 23] march, called “Cabo Rojo es nuestro – Marcha a la vista” [Cabo Rojo Is Ours – March on the Horizon] will begin at 2:00pm, at the intersection of Highway 100 and Route 308, making several stops to discuss the project, and ending at Plaza Pública Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances, Cabo Rojo’s main square. [The link to the schedule will be attached to this post.]
Primera Hora quotes ecologist Héctor Quintero Vilella, spokesperson for DaCR, who explained that “The ‘Esencia’ project threatens to worsen the already precarious drinking water infrastructure, privatize beach access, and destroy an area of high ecological value that protects us from climate change.”
During the event, experts will address the potential impacts of “Esencia” on areas such as local economy and employment, the already uncertain housing situation, and other important issues related to “beaches and coastline, water and energy, forests and community, and history and identity.” [. . .]
[I will be adding information to this as I compile and translate local reports!]
For full article (in Spanish), see https://www.primerahora.com/noticias/gobierno-politica/notas/convocan-marcha-nacional-contra-el-proyecto-esencia-en-cabon-rojo/ [Photo above from Primera Hora.]
March/Demonstration Schedule for today: file:///C:/Users/ivett/Downloads/Coalicio%CC%81nDaCR_CABO%20ROJO%20ES%20NUESTRO%20-%20MARCHA%20A%20LA%20VISTA_Pqte%20Info.pdf