According to Mongabay, the expansion of the soy industry in Hopelchén, Campeche, Mexico has led to devastating levels of deforestation of the Mayan jungle over the past two decades. The region lost at least 153,809 hectares of tree cover, driven by the rise of industrial agriculture and land privatisation. Despite the lack of official authorisation for deforestation, satellite images reveal extensive illegal clearing, primarily by Mennonite colonies, who have transformed vast forest areas into soy fields since 2004. This illegal deforestation has led to severe environmental degradation, including loss of biodiversity and disruption of local ecosystems. In addition, government policies and subsidies, such as those for productive conversion and contract agriculture, have further incentivised soy cultivation, notably by large-scale producers, at the expense of traditional corn farming and forest preservation. The unregulated deforestation has also affected the livelihoods of local communities, particularly beekeepers. Their income and way of life depend on the forest. However, the intensive use of pesticides associated with soy cultivation has led to significant bee deaths, triggering legal battles and community resistance. The devastation in Hopelchén is mirrored in other parts of the Yucatan Peninsula, with similar patterns of deforestation observed in municipalities like Tizimín and Bacalar.