Cozumel Hires 86 Workers Without Contracts, Payroll Up 7.1M Pesos

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Economic waste continues unabated in the municipality of the “Island of the Swallows,” as its municipal president, José Luis Chacón Méndez, does not waste time in finding places for his “allies,” which is why he hired a group of collaborators on a fee basis.

A total of 86 workers increased the Cozumel municipality’s payroll by 7,126,824 pesos, expenses that were not verifiable for the administration of José Luis Chacón Méndez, because these contracts have not been validated.

These “workers” earn biweekly salaries on an “occasional” basis, although they do not have updated contracts, as these have remained to date in the signing process since last April.

The employees who were hired on a fee basis, reportedly as part of the Zofemat program, maintain the scheme of “professional services by fees assimilated to salaries,” which is a fiscal contracting modality.

Personnel Hired Without Contract

1. Alan Humberto Ramírez Velázquez
2. Bryan José Che Canul
3. Humberto Cabrera Priego
4. Jaydi Guadalupe Maldonado Cauich
5. Nelson David Dzib Puch
6. América del Socorro Pat Balam
7. Ángel de Jesús Fernández Canul
8. Melissa Gisel Borges Be
9. Wilberth Antonio Can Balam
10. Alma Verónica Uicab Ojeda
11. Andrea Lizeth Ek Arreola
12. Kkarla Abigail Cárdenas Herrera
13. Marco Antonio Hernández Escalante
14. María Abigail Ruiz Balam
15. María José Buenfil Arias
16. Shanne Mrilyn Batún Marrufo
17. Zaazil Susana García Oeda
18. Edwin Gerardo Santamaría Manzun
19. Ernesto Iván Sánchez Cupul
20. Guadalupe Estela de la Cruz Pérez Rosado
21. Jorge Alberto Tuz Caamal
22. Juan José García Alpuche
23. Omar Antonio Noh Chi
24. Pedro Alonso Balam Rodríguez
25. Adrián Alexande Chalé Uitzil
26. Ana Luisa Alcudia de la Cruz
27. Andrid Uriel Pérez Caamal
28. Ángel Andrés Canto López
29. Areli Bernardina Solís Magaña
30. Cristina Isabel Tzuc Basto
31. Édgar Gamaliel Sosa Coral
32. Jaizar Eleázar Mazun Chan
33. Jéssica Elibet Pool Canul
34. José Manuel Crespo Burgos
35. José Rodolfo Díaz Jiménez
36. Luisa Fernanda Pacheco Alcudia
37. Máximo Antonio Tec Cortez
38. Melanie Sarai Mex Moo
39. Neyfi Genoveva Cetina Nnovelo
40. Omar Antonio Noh Chi
41. Óscar Peña Yah
42. Pavel Alexis Xool Fernández
43. Ricardo LlergoTtotosaus
44. Victoria Guadalupe Chimal Rodríguez
45. Yosby Lemuel Álvarez Pérez
46. Adrián de Jesús Pat Itzá
47. Alejandro Rodríguez Alvarado
48. Armando Zárate Llagunas
49. Blas Mauricio Lara Pérez
50. Concepción Domínguez Hernández
51. Diego David López Morales
52. Emeteria Cohuo Canché
53. Emmanuel Alberto Dzib Cauich
54. Erika González Hernández
55. Felipe Aguirre Ramírez
56. Glendy Araceli Couoh Puc
57. Guadalupe Concepción Canché Durán
58. Jesés Loreto Barredo Flores
59. Jorge Emanuel May Pérez
60. José Alfonso Morales Núñez
61. Jose Alfredo Chan Ac
62. Joselyn Aracely Juárez Villanueva
63. Joshua Jessiel Dzib Tun
64. Juan Bautista Perera Perera
65. Juan Raúl Velázquez González
66. Juan Uriel Hernández Martínez
67. Judith Cruz Aragón
68. Justine Melissa Arreola Albear
69. Leysi María Xcum Chuc
70. Luis Alberto Mora Flores
71. María Cristina Caamal Montero
72. María Jesús Escobedo Canul
73. Miguel Francés Rojas Vinalay
74. Miguel Iván Sansores Pat
75. Mirian Elina Sánchez Natus
76. Nicole Samantha Méndez Catzim
77. Óscar Josué Arroyo Aaguirre
78. Paula Dianelly Cortés May
79. Rodrigo Jesús Ciau Be
80. Sidney Abigail Chi Yam
81. Sugeidi Noemí Galaz Moo
82. Uriel Pérez Hernández
83. Uriel Jesús Caamal Canul
84. Vanessa Pérez Pérez
85. Yariela Marisol Dzul Caamal
86. Yuremi Itzel Torres Pérez

The alleged workers were hired on a fee basis reportedly as part of the Zofemat program.

However, the scheme of “Professional services by fees assimilated to salaries” is a fiscal contracting modality and not a specific program within the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat). Rather, it is commonly used by government entities and private companies to contract professional services without establishing a formal employment relationship.

Thus, without contracts, it is impossible to know if these hirings truly existed and where the resources allocated for them ended up, and their purpose, as each alleged hiring must be justified and necessary.

What is certain is that 1,781,706.72 pesos came from the municipal coffers in 2025, on a quarterly basis, which add to the millions that the current administration will have to justify to the Superior Audit Office of the Federation (ASF) and the Superior Audit Office of the state of Quintana Roo (Aseqroo).

Audit It!

Therefore, audits of the Cozumel municipality are conducted by entities such as the Superior Audit Office of the Federation (ASF) and the Superior Audit Office of the state of Quintana Roo (Aseqroo), focusing on the review of federal and state resources, compliance with development plans, and transparency of spending, with the Municipal Comptroller’s Office in charge of internal oversight and the publication of results and control guidelines, accessible on government portals to ensure efficient and transparent management of public funds.

What Types of Audits Are Conducted?

• ASF Examinations: Review the use of federal funds, such as those from the Fund for Contributions to Strengthen Municipalities (FORTAMUN).
• ASE Audits: Oversee fiscal exercise and the Municipal Development Plan.
• Internal Control: The Municipal Comptroller’s Office applies guidelines and conducts internal audits to evaluate efficiency and transparency.