Cancún Taxi Union Demands Leader’s Release Amid Health Crisis

Cancún, Mexico — Taxi drivers from the "Andrés Quintana Roo" union in Cancún protested this Monday outside the local courthouses, continuing their demand for the release of "Mafer," their former leader who is accused of murdering one of his collaborators and other members of the trade union.

Drivers and family members of the detainee demonstrated once again, as they had done weeks prior. They are asking authorities for help in securing the release of the former leader, who faces murder charges. His family states that his health has deteriorated alarmingly.

"The primary concern is his health. First and foremost is the health of Mr. Salomón Alfonso Muñoz. He is diabetic and required very delicate management. Now everything has gone off track; he is unwell. He is a person who has lost a tremendous amount of weight, a person whose circulation problems are increasing every day. It is so bad that he now walks very slowly for that reason. He has no movement, no exercise. He is in a room, let's say, 4 by 4 meters, which is not very big. That is our concern," stated Yesenia Hernández, the wife of the man who was once the leader of Cancún's taxi drivers.

The wife stated that it is the family who is responsible for his medical controls and for bringing him his medications. She said he is suffering unjustly due to his declining health.

"I am the one who is on top of his controls, his medications. Personally, my priority is him being in there. I have gone, I have traveled with his doctor, his internist, he has sent medications, they have let me bring them in, but it is not the same. It has been almost three years, and he has not had a check-up; he should have had one by now and I don't know how long this will last. Now, truly, he is unjustly suffering because of his health," she added.

She said it is not the fault of the prison workers, because if a doctor is not sent to them, the prison staff cannot authorize a doctor's entry.

She further alleged that several hearings for the case have been postponed in Cancún, and while she does not know why, she believes the Quintana Roo Prosecutor's Office is trying to buy time for the case.

The wife of the former taxi leader asserted that her partner is innocent of the accusations and has nothing to do with the murders. "They are accusing him of a homicide which is not justified; he is not involved in any of that," stated "Mafer's" wife.

It is worth noting that several taxi units from Cancún kept one lane of traffic closed outside the courthouses located on Avenida Nichupté. They said it was a peaceful protest, although some citizens were angered by the demonstration and the vehicular blockade.