DIF Takes Custody of Four Children Found Selling on Playa del Carmen Streets

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — DIF, the municipal family development agency, took four minors into protective custody after they were found selling products in Playa del Carmen’s tourist district, officials said.

DIF Director Eduardo Asencio said the children were located during a coordinated operation to prevent and eradicate child labor and protect the rights of children and adolescents.

Activist Natalia Guzmán said the municipal government should offer job training and productive workshops for the children’s mothers so they can develop small business projects and provide care and education for their children. She also criticized excessive bureaucratic red tape, saying it pushes families into street commerce and exposes children to risks in a climate of growing insecurity.

Local merchant Hermenegildo Morales said most families who employ their children in street vending are Indigenous people from Chiapas, Tabasco and Campeche who migrate to the Riviera Maya in search of economic opportunities but end up putting their children in danger.

Asencio said DIF Playa del Carmen will maintain permanent inspection operations on Fifth Avenue and other key areas of the city to safeguard the best interests of children and provide comprehensive care to minors in vulnerable situations.