Quintana Roo’s First Governor Jesús Martínez Ross Dies

Chetumal, Mexico — Jesús Martínez Ross, the first governor of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, died on Sunday afternoon in the state capital. Martínez Ross was born in Chetumal on May 7, 1934.

The state's current governor, Mara Lezama, confirmed the news in a social media post. "With profound sorrow, I lament the sensitive passing of Don Jesús Martínez Ross, the first constitutional governor of Quintana Roo," she wrote. "He was a man close to his people, who led the first administration of our young State after its conversion into a federal entity in 1974 and who marked the beginning of a new stage in the history of our land. On behalf of the people of Quintana Roo, I express my most heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones. May he rest in peace."

Around 7:30 p.m., former governor Mario Villanueva Madrid also announced the death in a social media message accompanied by a graphic, writing, "Don Jesús Martínez Ross, former governor of Quintana Roo, has died."

The first reports regarding his health problems emerged earlier this week. Although the precise location of his death has not been confirmed, it is mentioned that it occurred in the state capital of Quintana Roo. This past Wednesday, it was revealed that he had been emergency hospitalized at a private clinic in Chetumal.

Don Jesús Martínez Ross became the first constitutional governor of Quintana Roo in 1975, following the territory's conversion into a federal entity, making it the 30th state of the Mexican Republic. His administration established the institutional, political, and social foundations that set the course for the young state. He will be remembered not only as a politician but as a man who guided Quintana Roo's transition into a new chapter of its history.