The project to build La Parota Dam, along the Papagayo River in South Mexicos Guerrero State, was first introduced in 2003. Under the responsibility of the Mexican Federal Electricity Commission (CFE, which has been eyeing the Papagayo River since the 1970s), the project would permanently damage the biodiversity of the Acapulco, Juan R. Escudero and San Marcos municipalities. Local residents, who would suffer from the flooding and loss of their lands and homes, started a long struggle to defend their territory, organizing protest rallies and roadblocks. In 2004 affected communities created the Council of Communal Land Owners and Communities Against Construction of La Parota Dam (CECOP). They joined forces with MAPDER – the Mexican Movement of Dam–Affected People – and held numerous protests and other activities to register their opposition to the dam. Several protests were met with violent police repression, which resulted in two deaths and violated the rights of affected communities. The CECOP also started a legal battle to publicly denounce problems and irregularities linked to its implementation. They denounced how the Federal Electricity Commission tried to obtain project approval by holding false consultations and preventing attendance by those opposed to the dam. In January 2006, a Mexican court declared that some of the consultation meetings held by the Federal Electricity Commission were invalid.

The dam will be of 192 meters with a capacity of 756 MW. It will be built 350 km south of Mexico City and less than 50 km from the Acapulco Harbour. Cost of one billion USD, it promises 10000 jobs in construction.