Vendor known as Don Lázaro dies on Playa del Carmen sidewalk

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — A 52-year-old street vendor known as “Don Lázaro” died on a sidewalk in the Nicte-Há neighborhood of Playa del Carmen on Saturday morning. The man, who was originally from Escárcega, Campeche, made a living selling candy and peanuts on the beach.

According to witnesses, around 8:00 a.m., the vendor was seen sitting at the corner of Agustín Melgar and Avenida 10. Minutes later, he lay down and began convulsing. Emergency services were called via 911, and paramedics arrived at the scene but could only confirm that he no longer had vital signs.

Neighbors described him as a quiet, hardworking man who went out daily to earn a living. He did not have a fixed place to sleep and spent nights in parks in the area, sometimes in the rain.

The body was removed by personnel from the State Attorney General’s Office, with support from a funeral home, for the corresponding procedures. Authorities are waiting for family members to claim the body for burial, though it is unknown if he has any relatives in the city.