Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Mexico Playa del Carmen Plazuela de la Paz (Little Plaza of Peace)

Plazuela de la Paz (Little Plaza of Peace)

A small site dedicated to the memory of a local leader and the search for peace.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Added By
linkogecko
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
The ceiba at the center of the plaza is joined by other plants and trees.   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Ceiba of Peace.   linkogecko / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When José Enrique González Rosas, a businessman and member of the local government, was assassinated in the Mexican resort city of Playa del Carmen on April 8, 2018, it was almost immediately assumed that he was one of the many victims of the ongoing conflicts between organized crime cartels and Mexican authorities. Later that same year, a pair of ceiba trees (also known locally as yaxché) were planted in his honor, under the name of Trees of Peace.

The first of them was planted outside the city's Sayab Planetarium, with the one at Plazuela de la Paz (Little Plaza of Peace) following shortly after on May 12. In this plazuela, or "small plaza" (basically a roundabout), a dedication plaque explains that the ceiba was planted in González's memory, and includes a quote attributed to him: "El Mal Nunca Vencerá al Bien - Evil Will Never Defeat Good."

While the motives behind his assassination and any definite connections between him and any cartel have yet to be firmly established, it seems like González's memory is being used as a symbol in the search for peace in the face of a complicated history of criminality across the country, affecting even major tourist sites such as Playa del Carmen.

Related Tags

Peace Trees Assassination Plaques Memorials
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Yucatan Family Adventure: Meteors, Pyramids & Maya Legends

Explore Maya temples and learn about the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

linkogecko

Published

March 15, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://noticiaspedrocanche.com/2018/05/11/sembraran-un-yaxche-en-memoria-de-jose-enrique-gonzalez-rosas/
  • https://www.informador.mx/mexico/Asesinan-al-Director-de-Fiscalizacion-en-Playa-del-Carmen-20180428-0029.html
  • https://sipse.com/novedades/empresario-asesinado-ayuntamiento-enrique-gonzalez-rosas-funcionario-ayuntamiento-fiscal-investigacion-295856.html
Plazuela de la Paz (Little Plaza of Peace)
Playa del Carmen, 77720
Mexico
20.637815, -87.064329

Nearby Places

Alux House at San Pedro Hotel

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

miles away

La Ciudadela (The Citadel)

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

miles away

Xaman-Há Ruins

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen

Mexico

Places 4

Nearby Places

Alux House at San Pedro Hotel

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

miles away

La Ciudadela (The Citadel)

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

miles away

Xaman-Há Ruins

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen

Mexico

Places 4

Related Places

  • Edinburgh, Scotland

    Óscar Romero Plaque

    In memory of the assassinated, now-canonized Salvadoran archbishop who is the namesake of nearby Romero Place.

  • Charing Cross Storm Tree and plaques.

    London, England

    Charing Cross Storm Tree

    A living memorial to the trees London lost during the Great Storm of 1987.

  • Memorial plaque at the place of the assassination.

    Stockholm, Sweden

    Olof Palme Memorial Plaque

    A golden plaque marks the site of the mysterious unsolved assassination of the former Swedish prime minister.

  • On October 19, 1904, James Joyce spent the night in Ljubljana

    Ljubljana, Slovenia

    James Joyce Plaque

    The only monument in Slovenia celebrating the famous writer, who stayed there for one night entirely by mistake.

  • The Tree of Remembrance with pigeons roosting in it.

    Manchester, England

    Tree of Remembrance

    One of the trees in Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens is actually a World War II memorial, and it's made of metal.

  • Joan of Arc medallion

    Cedar Crest, New Mexico

    Sandia Medallion Trees

    Mysterious markers have been giving the public a lesson in dendrochronology for over a century.

  • Observation tower view of memorial park

    Itoman, Japan

    Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Park

    A unique memorial made up of a collection of memorials, all commemorating the Battle of Okinawa in World War II.

  • San Francisco, California

    St. Francis of the Guns

    This sculpture was made out of recycled guns that were turned in to the city.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.