Isla Chícharos Airport

The closure was due to economic reasons stemming from a severe downturn in the regional tourism industry. The state of Tamaulipas experienced a sharp increase in cartel-related violence and security issues beginning in the mid-2000s. This effectively halted the flow of international tourists, particularly the American sport fishermen who were the primary users of the airstrip and the fishing lodges on the Presa Vicente Guerrero. With no visitors, the private airstrip became financially unsustainable to operate and maintain.

The site is currently abandoned and in a state of complete disuse. Current satellite imagery clearly shows the unpaved runway outline, but it is heavily overgrown with shrubs and grass, rendering it unusable. The nearby buildings, which were likely part of an associated fishing lodge or support facility, appear derelict and are falling into ruin. The former airport is now just a decaying remnant of the area's more prosperous past.

Isla Chícharos Airport was a private general aviation airstrip whose existence was entirely tied to the bass fishing tourism boom at the Presa Vicente Guerrero reservoir. Following the dam's completion in 1971, the lake became a world-renowned destination for bass fishing. The airstrip was developed to provide convenient, direct fly-in access for anglers, allowing them to land their small private or charter aircraft (such as Cessnas and Pipers) directly on the island, bypassing lengthy ground travel. It served exclusive fishing lodges and was a key piece of infrastructure that supported the region's lucrative tourism economy from the 1970s through the early 2000s.

There are no known or published plans to reopen Isla Chícharos Airport. Any prospect of reopening is extremely low and would depend on two major factors: a dramatic and long-term improvement in the security situation in Tamaulipas and a significant new investment to rebuild the tourism infrastructure on the lake. Given the current state of the airstrip and the ongoing security challenges in the region, reopening is not considered a viable prospect in the foreseeable future.