Mexico Battles Massive Sargassum Algae Invasion in Caribbean Tourism Hub

Mexican authorities are conducting a round the clock operation to remove sargassum seaweed from the Caribbean coast to protect the country's primary international tourism hub. The Mexican Navy is utilizing 27 specialized ships, including one capable of carrying 300 tonnes of algae, alongside smaller boats, amphibious vehicles, and manual cleaning teams. In the first half of the year, the Navy and local governments collected over 100,000 tonnes of sargassum, which already exceeds the 92,782 tonnes gathered during the entirety of last year. Despite these efforts, the seaweed continues to reach beaches in the Riviera Maya and Tulum, creating a stench described as similar to rotting eggs. Local workers report significant economic impacts, with one restaurant in Playa del Carmen seeing daily customers drop from 400 to 50, and another hotel reporting all 24 rooms are empty. Industry statistics show summer hotel occupancy between 55 percent and 70 percent, compared to high season averages of 90 percent from 15 years ago. President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged a slight drop in international tourism but stated there have not been major losses, attributing the shift to the price of plane fuel rather than the algae. While center left and center right perspectives both highlight the struggle against the seaweed, the center right framing emphasizes the empty beaches and the unbearable smell, whereas the center left framing focuses more on the military scale of the war against the weeds.