How did an island in the Gulf of California end up for sale on Mercado Libre?

A listing connected the e-commerce tract Mercado Libre offering Cerralvo Island — portion of an expansive UNESCO World Heritage tract disconnected the seashore of Baja California Sur (BCS) — for US $115 cardinal has sparked controversy.

The listing from mid-April has drawn particularly beardown absorption from BCS Governor Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío, who has condemned the projected sale, asserting the land is portion of Mexico’s nationalist practice and vowing to artifact privatization efforts.

The 136.5-square-kilometer island, controversially renamed Jacques Cousteau Island successful 2009, is being promoted by KW Metropolitan arsenic a “sustainable development” task that could diagnostic eco-hotels, renewable vigor plants, an airdrome and conservation zones. KW Metropolitan is simply a marque of Texas-based Keller Williams, 1 of the world’s largest existent property franchises.

Satellite images and details successful the listing corroborate the spot arsenic Cerralvo Island, located 95 kilometers eastbound of the metropolis of La Paz successful the Gulf of California — famously dubbed “the world’s aquarium” by the precocious explorer Cousteau due to the fact that of its bonzer marine biodiversity.

The listing connected Mercado Libre for Cerralvo Island has been unrecorded connected the tract since mid-April. (Mercado Libre)

Castro Cosío clarified that the land — much than doubly the size of Manhattan, New York — has been privately held by the almighty Ruffo family, whose bequest successful Baja California and BCS dates backmost to the precocious 1800s.

But successful caller comments successful the determination paper El Sudcaliforniano, helium stressed that “all islands, seas and lands should beryllium considered nationalist property” and urged national authorities to reappraisal the island’s ineligible status. He besides said immoderate improvement would necessitate biology interaction assessments from Mexico’s Environment Ministry (Semarnat).

Cerralvo Island’s ecological value is undisputed: It shelters migratory taxon specified arsenic humpback whales, hammerhead sharks and endangered seabirds — and 20 years agone was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site alongside 243 different islands, islets and Gulf of California coastal areas.

Article 27 of Mexico’s Constitution restricts overseas ownership of coastal onshore and mandates national oversight for land sales, though exceptions beryllium — specified arsenic Cayo Culebra, the past virgin land connected the Riviera Maya, going connected merchantability past twelvemonth for a reported US $68 million. (No authoritative announcements oregon media reports bespeak the merchantability has been completed … successful lawsuit you’re interested.)

KW Metropolitan’s listing — progressive arsenic of Monday — faces skepticism from environmentalists who pass of irreversible harm to fragile ecosystems. While the listing touts “eco-tourism” and infrastructure, critics enactment the logistical challenges of gathering successful pristine areas and the precedent specified a merchantability would set.

The contention echoes past disputes implicit Mexico’s islands, specified arsenic San José Island, besides successful the Gulf of California. It is privately owned and undeveloped with nary imperishable residents.

Cerralvo Island is besides undeveloped arsenic good arsenic uninhabited, with nary large-scale infrastructure. It is named for the 3rd Marquis of Cerralvo, Don Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio, who served successful the aboriginal 1600s arsenic viceroy of New Spain (which would go Mexico).

Known for its rugged earthy quality and bonzer marine biodiversity, the land presently serves arsenic a destination for escapade tourism and accepted fishing.

With reports from El Sudcaliforniano, BCS Noticias and Infobae