Mangrove forests are ecosystems subject to contamination by oil spills. The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of Rhizophora mangle plants in soil contaminated with oil emulsified with surfactants. These ecosystems have diverse and economically valuable ecological functions. Mangrove soil and propagules were collected in southeastern Mexico. The propagules were sown under greenhouse conditions and the plants were grown for 3 months. Two bioassays were applied: (1) the soil was contaminated by oil emulsified with a biosurfactant synthesized by Azospirillum lipoferum, and (2) the soil was contaminated with oil emulsified with a surfactant based on pine essential oil. Emulsified oil was applied to the substrate in containers with 3-month-old plants until several concentrations were reached (0, 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000, and 70,000 ppm). Subsequently, 5 plants for each treatment were randomly extracted every 30 days for 12 months, and the stem length and diameter, root length, leaf area, and fresh and dry weights of the plants were evaluated. Plant development was evaluated through an analysis of variance and a test of means. At the end of the bioassay, the treatments with oil emulsified with pine oil yielded no surviving plants, whereas the treatments with oil emulsified with the biosurfactant yielded a 100% survival rate. Treatment with 30,000 ppm of oil emulsified with the biosurfactant yielded the greatest increases in the leaf area and total dry biomass. The heavy oil fraction concentration decreased by 93.9% with the 30,000 ppm treatment and by 82.64% with the 70,000 ppm treatment.