Cozumel Mayor Faces Embezzlement and Favoritism Claims

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — The municipal administration of Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez has been accused of systemic corruption, with allegations of embezzlement, favoritism, and abuse of public funds. Critics claim his government is competing for the title of Quintana Roo’s most corrupt administration, now under the banner of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena).

Carnival Contracts and Kickbacks

The organization of the 2025 Cozumel Carnival, one of the state’s oldest traditions, has raised suspicions of corruption orchestrated by the mayor. Héctor Martínez Ramírez, Director of Municipal Public Services, contracted Mérida-based company ARMAR to manage the event, including hiring musical acts and performers, at a cost exceeding 40 million pesos.

Sources allege Martínez Ramírez collected kickbacks of up to 20%, funneling the money to Mayor Chacón. Extortion has reportedly become routine, with municipal workers, including transit police and sanitation employees, demanding bribes for basic services during the carnival.

Further accusations involve rigged supplier selections, where contracts were allegedly awarded based on political favors and under-the-table payments. One notable case involves the month-long rental of the Moby Dick event venue, owned by José Luis Argüelles González—brother of Edwin Argüelles González, brother-in-law of imprisoned former Governor Roberto Borge and father-in-law of Mayor Chacón. The municipality paid over 4.5 million pesos for the rental, despite the venue’s history as a PRI campaign hub.

Questionable Donations and Paving Deals

Under the guise of donations, Mayor Chacón has allegedly funneled contracts to Emulsiones Asfálticas de Cozumel S.A. de C.V., a company linked to past PRI administrations. In March, Chacón announced the rehabilitation of a dirt road in Las Fincas, claiming two companies had donated materials. However, he omitted that Emulsiones Asfálticas was already slated to receive a 14-million-peso contract for paving the same area.

This company has a controversial track record. During former Mayor Juanita Alonso’s administration, it was awarded 14.7 million pesos for paving projects in Emiliano Zapata Colony, which were never completed. Similarly, under ex-Mayor Pedro Joaquín Delbouis, the firm secured four contracts worth 2.4 million pesos in 2020, with little evidence of completed work.

A Legacy of Corruption

Mayor Chacón, who rose through the ranks of the PRI alongside disgraced ex-Governor Roberto Borge, has been accused of perpetuating the same corrupt practices under Morena. Despite claiming to be a “true Cozumeleño” who suffered under past administrations, critics argue he continues to reward the same contractors responsible for substandard infrastructure.

The allegations paint a picture of an administration entrenched in graft, where public funds are diverted through inflated contracts, kickbacks, and political favoritism. Investigations into these claims are ongoing.