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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10/25/2026 - Numbers go up again this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 26 ships registered to dock as we wish you a Happy Halloween. This is 5 more ships than last week and 6 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 22 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 91,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 9.7 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 8 ships docking there, 7 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 11 arrivals and the downtown San Miguel pier will have -0- arrivals with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 5 ships will dock, 4 ships will dock on Tuesday, 5 ships on Wednesday, 3 ships on Thursday, 5 ships on Friday, 3 ships on Saturday and Sunday will see 1 ship in port. To see a complete list of this week's ship arrivals, please visit Insider's Weekly Cruise Ship Schedule
Demolition Started On A 40 Year old Cozumel Building Icon
A building icon on the island of Cozumel is being demolished to make way for a new complex. Demolition began on the island’s Francisco Cordero Núñez Poliforum recently after more than 40 years of use. After more than 40 years, the Francisco Cordero Núñez Poliforum has entered a new phase with the start of its demolition. For decades, this iconic building served as a meeting place for generations of athletes, fans, families, and artists, leaving a legacy that is part of Cozumel’s sporting, cultural, and social history.
Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez gave the starting signal to the works that mark the end of a cycle and, at the same time, open the way to a new infrastructure destined to continue promoting sports and coexistence among Cozumel families. “Thanks to the support of our governor, Mara Lezama, and the resources of the Cruise Ship Welfare Trust, the construction of the new Poliforum will become a reality for our people. “This space, which for more than 40 years has been part of Cozumel’s history, will give way to modern and dignified facilities for our athletes,” he said.
For more than four decades, the Poliforum was the stage for unforgettable moments. Within its walls, professional basketball on the island was born with the Cozumel Mariners, who played in BAPROSUR, the Southeast Professional Basketball League, and became protagonists of an era that left its mark on Cozumel fans. It was also home to the Isleños de Cozumel in the Quintana Roo State League, a team that later became Fuerza Isleña and that, together with the Roosters, represented Cozumel in the Mayan Basketball League, strengthening a sporting tradition that for years brought together entire families in its stands. The municipal basketball and volleyball leagues also found one of their main venues in this building. Children, teenagers, and adults participated there in competitions, training sessions, and matches that contributed to the development of local sports. But the history of the Poliforum “Francisco Cordero Núñez” went far beyond basketball and volleyball. Its facilities hosted professional boxing matches and were the scene of outstanding fights by Cozumel’s pride, Jorge “Estudiante” Rivera, who thrilled the island’s fans. Lucha libre also wrote memorable chapters in this venue, with the presence of figures that marked generations, including El Santo, Pedro “El Perro” Aguayo, Love Machine, Octagón, Máscara Sagrada and Rey Misterio, La Parca, Tinieblas and Aluxe, in addition to other exponents that made the Poliforum a benchmark of the sporting spectacle in Cozumel.
Throughout its history, the building also opened its doors to concerts and musical performances, thousands of students danced their graduation waltz and received their certificates, it hosted the Caribbean Culture Festival with the participation of countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, among others, consolidating itself as an emblematic space for the coexistence and entertainment of Cozumel families. This past September 15th, the demolition began for its reconstruction, and it represented a moment full of memories and emotions for those who grew up, competed, trained, enjoyed a show or simply kept some experience within its walls. It is a farewell to a building that witnessed more than four decades of history, but also the beginning of a new stage for Cozumel sport.
During a final tour of the facilities, Chacón Méndez explained that various materials removed during the dismantling process will be reused in other areas of the municipality. “We will have a better, multifunctional space, with air conditioning and a capacity that will increase from approximately 300 to 3,000 fans. In addition, it will have a retractable section that will allow it to host different sporting disciplines and events,” he said. The mayor specified that the demolition will be total to allow the new infrastructure to be built from scratch. Likewise, the current indoor soccer field located next to it will be removed as part of the complete transformation of space. Chacón emphasized that the project includes new spaces for sports practice, with facilities that meet the current needs of the people of Cozumel. “Today we say goodbye to a place that holds an important part of Cozumel’s history, but we do so knowing that a new story will begin here. We want future generations to have a dignified, modern space that reflects the talent of our athletes,” he said.
Researchers Document First Recorded Spawning Of Priority Coral Species In Cozumel Reef Park
A team of 44 specialists and volunteers has documented the spawning of two priority coral species in the Cozumel Reefs National Park, including the first-ever recorded spawning of Orbicella faveolata in the protected area’s history.
Over 25 nights of monitoring between July and September, participants logged spawning in 15 elkhorn coral colonies and confirmed the reproductive event for Orbicella faveolata, a step forward in understanding the reef’s natural processes. Officials said the findings raise new expectations for the survival of more than 400 coral colonies in the area and will allow researchers to develop ecological restoration strategies informed by the corals’ reproductive cycles.
The work is part of the project “Comprehensive Ecological Restoration of Coral Reefs on Cozumel Island,” carried out through an alliance between environmental authorities with financing from the Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund).
Cozumel Could Host New Dolphin Sanctuary In Quintana Roo
The island of Cozumel is among the sites that environmental authorities and organizations are analyzing to establish a possible dolphin sanctuary in Quintana Roo, although the project remains in an initial stage and does not yet have a location, number of specimens, defined infrastructure or date of operation, as announced by the Secretary of Ecology and Environment of Quintana Roo, Oscar Rébora Aguilera. The official explained that viability will depend on environmental and management studies that determine whether the conditions of the island allow the animals to be kept under adequate welfare parameters. “We believe that Cozumel can be a great option,” he said, who clarified that technical evaluations must be carried out before selecting any site.
Among the pending aspects is determining whether any of the spaces that were previously used for dolphin management can be adapted to the new model. The possibility of developing a different facility also remains open, although so far there has been no decision on this. Rébora indicated that there is still no determined number of dolphins that could be part of the project. The selection will depend on the characteristics of the site and the conditions of the animals that will eventually be considered. If specimens that currently remain under human management are included, specialists must evaluate their physical condition, behavior and capacity for adaptation. The social relationships between animals will also have to be analyzed before establishing groups. The official explained that factors such as hierarchies and the presence of dominant males can influence coexistence, so the transfer cannot be carried out solely based on the availability of a space. Elizabeth Soria, a marine fauna specialist, explained that the location would have to be evaluated based on the quality of the water, available space, food, veterinary care and behavior of the specimens; “A sanctuary requires specific conditions before receiving animals,” she indicated.
The eventual installation also raises questions for Cozumel due to tourist activity related to marine fauna. The project would have to determine how it would work, what capacity it would have and what measures would be to avoid additional impacts on the island’s ecosystem. There is also interest from the community in knowing the conditions under which the proposal could be developed. Jorge Angulo, a resident of the center, mentioned that before talking about a sanctuary, the location, the number of animals and the operating conditions would have to be known. “Environmental information will be essential to know if it is really viable.”
For now, the proposal remains in the analysis phase. There is no authorized site or date to move dolphins to Cozumel, and it has not been defined whether an existing facility would be used, or a new one would be built. The decision will depend on environmental studies, the availability of spaces and evaluations on the management and well-being of the specimens. As long as these elements are not defined, the sanctuary remains a possibility under evaluation and not an authorized project.
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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May 29, 2026 (Most Recent) Comprehensive Mexico Travel Warning
Because we are continually asked about travel safety in Mexico and more specifically Cozumel, INSIDER always maintains a condensed version of the U.S. State Department Mexico Travel Warning relating to Cozumel HERE BELOW on our website for traveler convenience.
U.S. State Department Travel Advisory for Mexico Issued May 29, 2026 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 the 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 May 29, 2026 from the Department of State can also be viewed in its entirety on the Department of State website.
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10/25/2026 - Numbers go up again this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 26 ships registered to dock as we wish you a Happy Halloween. This is 5 more ships than last week and 6 more than the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 22 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 91,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 9.7 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
