Paradise: 7 out of 10 live in fear despite multi-million dollar investment

An alarming figure has come to light in Paraíso, Tabasco: more than 70% of its residents feel unsafe. This figure, taken from surveys for the Municipal Development Plan, reveals a profound disconnect between federal investment and social well-being.

Paraíso, the Tabasco municipality home to the multi-million-dollar Dos Bocas refinery, is experiencing a profound and troubling paradox. While federal investment has flowed into the energy megaproject, an overwhelming majority of its population lives in fear. According to data revealed in surveys for the development of the Municipal Development Plan, more than 70% of Paraíso residents feel unsafe.

The data is overwhelming and reflects a crisis of perception and reality. The fact that 7 out of 10 residents of a municipality that has been the focus of national and international attention for its economic development feel insecure is a sign that the benefits of investment have not translated into peace and tranquility for the community.

This perception is not unfounded. In recent weeks, high-impact crime has been reported, including robberies and assaults on the municipality's beaches, leading to the closure of some businesses, citing a lack of safe operating conditions.

The Olmeca refinery in Dos Bocas was conceived not only as an energy sovereignty project, but also as an engine of development for southeastern Mexico. The massive capital injection and job creation were expected to generate a virtuous cycle of well-being and progress for Paraíso and the surrounding municipalities.

However, the reality appears to be more complex. The rapid and often disorderly growth associated with the project has brought with it new social and security challenges that, evidently, have not been addressed with the same speed as the construction of the industrial infrastructure.

Although the 70% figure comes from local surveys, the 2024 National Survey on Victimization and Perception of Public Safety (ENVIPE) by INEGI offers a broader context for Tabasco. At the state level:

* 84.8% of the population aged 18 and over considers living in Tabasco to be unsafe.

* 60.4% consider insecurity to be the most important problem facing the entity.

* The place where the population feels most insecure is at ATMs on public roads (81.9%).

These state data confirm that the perception of insecurity in Paraíso is part of a broader problem in Tabasco, but the local figure of 70% is particularly alarming given the investment context and the expectations generated in the municipality.

The 2019-2024 State Development Plan already recognized that "in a climate of insecurity, development opportunities are hindered, driving away investment and tourism, fostering a perception of widespread fear." The current situation in Paraíso is the clearest manifestation of this warning.