Beginning in December 2002, Insider was proudly the first website to provide readers the Cozumel News in English.
Articles are slected from local newspapers which we feel will be of interest to our diverse audience. These articles are then translated into English. We cannot always investigate the veracity of a particular article but offer these translations as a reflection of the Cozumel community news just as reporters write it for Por Esto, Diario de Quintana Roo, Novedades and El Seminario and many other sources.
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Note: All translated articles are the property of Cozumel Insider and cannot be used, displayed or reproduced without express written permission from Cozumel Insider.
04/15/2024 - Numbers decrease considerably this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 14 ships registered to dock as we reach the half way through April. This is 10 fewer ships than last week and 6 less than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 20 ships in port during the same week of 2023. An estimated 49,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $5.2 million dollars behind in the local economy.
High season for cruise ship arrivals typically runs from November 15 - April 15 each year with the remaining 7 months of the year considered "low season." This week Puerta Maya pier will be host to 7 ships docking there, 6 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 1 arrival and the downtown San Miguel pier will have 0 arrival with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 1 ship will dock, 4 ships will dock on Tuesday, 3 ships on Wednesday, 4 ships on Thursday, 1 ship on Friday, 1 ship on Saturday and Sunday will see 0 ships in port. To see a complete list of this week's ship arrivals, please visit Insider's Weekly Cruise Ship Schedule
More Than 4,000 Witness Solar Eclipse From State Planetariums
Planetariums around the state reported a full house as thousands showed up to witness the eclipse.
The network of planetariums of the Quintana Roo Council of Humanities, Sciences and Technologies (COQHCYT) had a full house reporting more than 4,000 people. Residents arrived to watch the solar eclipse through direct observation with the use of ISO 12312-2 certified lenses and telescopes with solar filters, as well as indirectly through transmission from Torreón, Coahuila. Starting at 11:30 in the morning, people began to arrive at the state’s four planetariums. To provide support and advice, planetarium staff and COQHCYT, in addition to the science clubs, participated. The Chetumal planetarium was attended by 900 attendees, where 500 ISO 12312-2 certified lenses and 24 telescopes with solar filters were available, as well as the support of 20 science clubs. In Cancun, the largest influx was reported with 2,050 people, where an equal number of glasses and the installation of five telescopes with solar filters were distributed. Meanwhile in Cozumel there were 669 attendees who were able to appreciate the astronomical phenomenon in 17 telescopes and half a thousand certified lenses, and in Playa del Carmen there were 517 people who witnessed this first solar eclipse through five telescopes.
The COQHCYT sent a team made up of astronomer Tania Martínez, Antonio Ríos and Karla Figueroa, to the official headquarters in the Torreón Planetarium in the state of Coahuila, to carry out a real-time transmission. According to Governor Lexama, in Quintana Roo, the eclipse began in Chetumal at 12:19 PM, reached its maximum solar occultation (42%) at 1:32 PM and ended at 2:47 PM. In Cancun, it began at 12:25 PM, with a maximum occultation of 46% at 1:41 and concluded at 2:55 PM. The solar eclipse occurs when the Moon aligns between the Sun and the Earth and hides the solar disk; Its approximate duration was 2 hours and 41 minutes.
The observation of this solar eclipse was carried out in the planetariums in a safe direct manner with ISO 12312-2 certified lenses, and telescopes with a solar filter; but also indirectly in the auditorium the live broadcast was made from Torreón, Coahuila. In addition, workshops were organized with educational activities, such as reflecting the eclipse with leaves on the floor.
Cozumel Reports Over 3,800 Hit Public Beaches During Recent Holidays
Cozumel authorities have declared the recent 2024 Easter holiday season a success without major incident. During the vacation period, Cozumel Civil Protection reported 3,875 people visited the island’s public beaches.
During the holiday season, only one medical emergency was reported on the beach, while two others were treated at the Emergency Care Center (C.A.E.). Civil Protection also reported increased security and preventive measures were implemented with the surveillance of recreational centers, the busiest public beaches and island highways. Security was increased in different tourist areas which included the eastern and western coasts of Isla de las Golondrinas, which offered greater security to locals, as well as national and foreign tourists. The Civil Protection Directorate reported 3,875 people on public beaches, four fires that were attended to by the Cozumel fire department as well as two vehicle accidents.
The 2024 Easter Holiday Operation finished without incident, they reported. All emergencies and security operations were carried out in coordination with the military, National Guard, Public Security and Transit and the Civil Protection Directorate as well as firefighters and lifeguards. The Ángeles Verdes (Green Angles), were also present on the island helping traveling motorists with roadside assistance.
Cozumel's Museum Celebrates It's 37th Year Anniversary
To commemorate the anniversary of the Island Museum, the Parks Foundation and Museums of Cozumel (FPMC) held an inauguration of the pictorial exhibition “37 Years of Cultural Legacy”, on April 4th.
The Island Museum is in a historic building that dates back to the 1930s and was one of the first hotels in Cozumel, but since April 4, 1987, it was destined to be the guardian of the cultural heritage of the Cozumeleños, explained the general director of the FPMC, Alejandro Marchán Payán. Since then, it has been a reference in the historical-cultural scene of the State, in which the community and national and foreign visitors can learn about the origin, development and customs of the island population, he mentioned. He added that currently the museum center of the Island has 11 interactive rooms, which in a playful and entertaining way provide information about the origin, natural diversity and history of its inhabitants. It also has two temporary rooms for local and international artists and a special room that pays tribute to the Cozumel Carnival. Alejandro Marchán stated that pictorial exhibition “37 Years of Cultural Legacy”, is made up of the FPMC's own pictorial collection, which has been gathered throughout all these 37 years of existence of the Island Museum.
“PLANET PATROL" Visits Punta Sur Nartional Park
Members of the international environmental association “Planet Patrol” visited the Punta Sur Ecotourism Park, run by the Foundation of Parks and Museums of Cozumel (FPMC), to learn about the environmental importance of the mangrove ecosystem and the restoration work carried out in the ecological reserve.
Rafael Chacón Díaz, director of Conservation and Environmental Education (CEA), expressed that “Planet Patrol” is an ecological initiative of the Aquamarina school, which is based in the United States, Colombia and Mexico City, with the objective that students, from preschool to secondary school, are motivated, interested and involved in actions for the conservation and restoration of ecosystems, both marine and terrestrial. The director of Punta Sur, Jesús Benavides Andrade, welcomed 12 school directors, on behalf of the general director of the FPMC, Alejandro Marchán Payán, and explained to them, both in theory and in practice, that mangroves provide great ecosystem benefits for the world, since they are classified as fish incubators, carbon traps, water filters and are habitats for different species, such as birds and crocodiles. The visitors participated in several activities as part of the experiential learning methodology and worked on the appropriate elevation of terraces and the consolidation of sediment based on the introduction of pioneer vegetation in the area known as the Mogote Central in Laguna Colombia.
Finally, Natalia Montaño, founder and director of “Planet Patrol,” said that this visit will allow the directors and teachers to provide more experiential information to the students in their care and motivate them to continue caring for the environment.
Need a LEGAL U.S. Notary Service? THIS is your solution!
It has happened to ALL of us U.S. Citizens who spend significant amounts of time living / working in Cozumel: reading the dreaded words on a document from back home: "Notarized Signature Required." It's such a simple thing and no one wants the added expense of travelling back to the U.S. just to have their signature notarized but there are many legal processes in the U.S.A. where nothing BUT a notarized signature will be accepted.
Some common documents that U.S. Citizens need notarized while living abroad are: Real Estate Deeds or Mortgages, executing Wills, Powers of Attorney, requests for Birth / Marriage / Death Certificates, Permission for a parent to get a minor’s US Passport, banking / insurance / bonding documents, permission for a minor to travel without parents or application for duplicate or replacement vehicle titles just to name a few.
In the past, the most common solution was for a U.S. Citizen to make their way to the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy where notaries are always available but the fees involved can be quite expensive. In addition there is the cost of actually travelling to the Consulate and who knows if appointments will even be available especially if the notarized signature is needed urgently. Plus from Cozumel that Consulate visit includes the cost of a ferry round trip to get to Playa del Carmen. All of these complicating factors just create more of a headache for something that is supposed to be relatively easy and inexpensive.
Another option frequently used has been that of a U.S. Notary operating outside of their country and jurisdiction. While this option is usually easy and cheap (often free or for a donation), it is one of those situations where "you get what you pay for" because technically these U.S. Notaries are operating ILLEGALLY as they are outside the legal jurisdiction for which they are authorized to notarize documents. In theory an illegal notarization could be attacked and challenged in the future and nullified causing legal issues with the documents signed. A fraud challenge to a Notary operating outside of the USA, simply involves a court asking the Notary to present their passport to the judge. Immigration stamps inside the passport will prove the Notary's whereabouts when documents were signed and if this was done inside the Notary's legal jurisdiction or illegally outside their authorized jurisdiction.
So do yourself a favor and avoid any future Signature Notary problems by utilizing an ON-LINE NOTARY SERVICE. Thanks to remote online notarization (RON), you can notarize a document from anywhere in the world, using your computer or mobile device and the internet. It takes only 10 minutes and is quite an easy process right from the comfort of your own home or office any hour of the day or night.
All you need to do is click this link 24/7 Online Notary Service To use this service, the fee is $25 USD and you must have a device with audio- visual capabilities (like a smart phone, tablet or PC) and proof of identity (a valid US Government-issued photo ID such as a Driver’s License or Passport). You can then access and meet with a licensed Notary Public who will notarize your papers in a matter of minutes. The process is easy, quick, efficient and AVAILABLE 24/7 online!! So WHY take a chance doing it any other way?!
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August 22, 2023 (Most Recent) Comprehensive Mexico Travel Warning
Because we are continually asked about travel safety in Mexico and Cozumel, INSIDER always maintains a condensed version of the U.S. State Department Mexico Travel Warning HERE on our website for traveler convenience.
U.S. State Department Travel Advisory for Mexico Issued AUGUST 22, 2023 shows the Mexican State of Quintana Roo (includes Cozumel, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, and Tulum) to be a LEVEL 2 Advisory - Exercise Increased Caution (Level 4 Advisory is Highest Risk):
There are "NO RESTRICTIONS" on U.S. government employees for travel to "ANY PARTS" of Quintana Roo state, which includes tourist areas such as: Cozumel, Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya and Tulum. However, U.S. government employees are advised to exercise increased situational awareness and caution after dark in downtown areas of Cancun, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen, and to remain in well-lit pedestrian streets and tourist zones.
U.S. citizens should as always exercise increased caution and be aware that according to Government of Mexico statistics, criminal activities and violence, including homicide, remain a concern throughout the State. While most of these homicides appeared to be targeted, criminal organization assassinations and turf battles between criminal groups that have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. Bystanders injuries, while rare, have occurred. While not directed at tourists, shootings between rival gangs have killed or injured innocent bystanders. Additionally, U.S. citizens have been the victims of both non-violent and violent crimes in tourist and non-tourist areas.
The Mexico Travel Warning dated August 22, 2023 from the Department of State can also be viewed in its entirety on the Department of State website.
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04/15/2024 - Numbers decrease considerably this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 14 ships registered to dock as we reach the half way through April. This is 10 fewer ships than last week and 6 less than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 20 ships in port during the same week of 2023. An estimated 49,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $5.2 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
