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.
06/15/2026 - Numbers go up just a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 20 ships registered to dock as we welcome Summer. This is 1 more ship than last week and the same as the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 16 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 70,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 7.5 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, 6 ships will dock at SSA International pier while Punta Langosta pier will see 6 arrivals and the downtown San Miguel pier will have -0- arrivals with passengers tendering in.
On Monday 3 ships will dock, 2 ships will dock on Tuesday, 4 ships on Wednesday, 4 ships on Thursday, 4 ships on Friday, 3 ships 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
Horse-Drawn Carriage Dispute In Cozumel Sparks Conflict Over Pier Access And Animal Welfare
A tense dispute has erupted between horse-drawn carriage operators on this Caribbean island, pitting companies against each other over access to lucrative pier spots and the use of animals for transport.
The conflict centers on the allocation of spaces at Puerta Maya, a busy cruise ship pier, and the pace of transitioning to electric carriages. One operator, Caleseros del Caribe, says it has already built seven electric carriages but still uses three horse-drawn units as it completes the switch. The company’s legal representative, José Julio Azcorra López, said the horses pull carriages weighing about 400 kilograms (880 pounds), plus passengers, totaling around 700 kilograms (1,540 pounds). He defended the gradual transition, arguing the animals are not being overloaded. But rival operator Marcos Gutiérrez, known as “El Charro,” accused Caleseros del Caribe of dragging its feet. Gutiérrez said his group has fully converted to motorized carriages and called on authorities to enforce the Animal Protection Law, which requires an end to animal-drawn vehicles. “We want to work; the other carriages are in bad condition. They can’t keep using horses,” Gutiérrez said. “We invested money and are in debt. They’ve been working for six years. It’s time the authorities take action.”
Both sides have called on the Quintana Roo Mobility Institute (Imoveqroo) to intervene. Azcorra López said his company has submitted all required documentation and has 31 years of experience in the sector. He noted that only two carriages are allowed per pier under an unwritten agreement to avoid congestion. Gutiérrez, however, claimed that Bruno Villanueva, Imoveqroo’s local delegate, told the parties to “resolve it among yourselves,” refusing to step in. The dispute highlights broader tensions on the island as tourism rebounds and regulations evolve. Cozumel’s carriage operators are caught between environmental mandates and the need to maintain a traditional attraction for visitors.
Cozumel Forms First Lionfish Control Brigade To Protect Reefs
Cozumel has formed its first specialized brigade to control the invasive lionfish population, aiming to protect the coral reefs of the Cozumel Reefs National Park (PNAC).
Tourism service providers and volunteers participated in a training session that included both theoretical and practical components. Participants learned safe and effective handling techniques for the species, as well as the ecological risks lionfish pose to local biodiversity. The brigade has already begun operations with support from the PROREST program of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP). Initial dives within the national park focused on controlling and managing the invasive species.
In previous years, the Cozumel Fishing Cooperative helped capture lionfish, which were sold as an exotic dish in the tourism sector. However, the species migrated to deeper waters, reducing catches. Now that lionfish have returned to Cozumel’s waters, officials see an opportunity to revive this economic activity under a sustainable management framework. The creation of the brigade marks a significant step in reef conservation and environmental awareness, reinforcing Cozumel’s commitment to protecting its natural resources while promoting sustainable development.
Quintana Roo Grants Protected Status To Sacred Maya Honey
Mexico has granted official protection to melipona honey, a sacred product of Maya culture, through a Geographical Indication declaration that safeguards its origin, authenticity, and traditional production methods in the Maya zone of Quintana Roo. The declaration, published May 12 in the Official Gazette of the Federation by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), protects the product officially named “Miel de Abeja Melipona del Corredor de la Zona Maya de Quintana Roo.”
Melipona honey comes from stingless bees known as “sacred Maya bees,” which are docile and lack a functional stinger. Beekeepers extract the honey from artisanal hives called jobones, made from hollowed logs. The protected geographical area covers the municipalities of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, José María Morelos, and Tulum, where Maya communities maintain traditional stingless beekeeping, primarily of the species Melipona beecheii, known in the Maya language as xunán kab. Beyond its use as food, melipona honey has been used since pre-Hispanic times in traditional Maya medicine to treat respiratory ailments, digestive problems, and eye conditions, as well as for its healing and antibacterial properties. Due to limited production and artisanal processing, the honey can fetch prices exceeding 1,000 pesos (about $55) per liter in specialty markets.
A single melipona hive produces only one to two liters of honey per year, compared with up to 30 kilograms from a European honeybee hive, making it scarce and highly valued. The protection aims to strengthen the economy of Maya producers and preserve an ancestral practice that has declined over the years.
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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September 6, 2024 (Most Recent) Comprehensive Mexico Travel Warning
U.S. State Department Travel Advisory for Mexico Issued SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 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 September 6, 2024 from the Department of State can also be viewed in its entirety on the Department of State website.
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06/15/2026 - Numbers go up just a bit this week in Cozumel as cruise ship arrivals show 20 ships registered to dock as we welcome Summer. This is 1 more ship than last week and the same as the "20 in port" which marks a "high season" number. There were 16 ships in port during the same week of 2025. An estimated 70,000 people will visit Cozumel this week via these cruise ships leaving an estimated US $ 7.5 million dollars behind in the local economy. 
