Mexico City — Five political figures have registered to seek the gubernatorial nomination for Quintana Roo under the ruling 4T coalition, made up of Morena, the Green Party and the Labor Party. The registrations took place Thursday at the World Trade Center in Mexico City, marking an early but important step toward the 2027 election.
The contenders are Ana Paty Peralta de la Peña, Eugenio Segura Vázquez, Rafael Marín Mollinedo, Marybel Villegas Canché, and, in a surprise move, Alexa Murguía Trujillo. Each arrived with supporters, campaign teams and family members, signaling that the internal contest is already drawing attention across the state.
The process is not technically a formal constitutional campaign yet. Within Morena and its allied parties, these early contests are usually framed as races to coordinate or defend the “transformation,” the political project associated with President Claudia Sheinbaum, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and current Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama. In practical terms, however, the person selected through the party’s polling process is expected to become the coalition’s candidate for governor.
Meet the Candidates
Marybel Villegas Canché
Marybel Villegas Canché, a federal deputy on leave, was the first to register. Villegas is one of the best-known names in Quintana Roo politics, with a career that spans more than two decades.
She has served as a local deputy, federal official and senator, and has been a frequent figure in political contests in Cancún and at the state level. Her long experience gives her strong name recognition, particularly among voters who have followed Quintana Roo politics for years.
“I am ready and prepared, with political and personal maturity,” she said during her registration. “I come to offer my work, my experience, and my main goal is to always be close to the people, to walk alongside them as I have for 25 years.”
Villegas presents herself as an experienced political operator with deep territorial knowledge. Her challenge will be convincing Morena’s base and coalition leadership that her long and sometimes shifting political history makes her an asset rather than a liability.
Rafael Marín Mollinedo
Rafael Marín Mollinedo registered next. A founder of Morena in Quintana Roo and a longtime ally of the López Obrador political movement, Marín brings federal-level experience and strong internal party credentials.
He previously served as head of Mexico’s National Customs Agency, one of the most important federal posts linked to trade, border control and revenue collection. His profile is more technocratic and federal than local, but he has spent months positioning himself as a serious contender for Quintana Roo.
“Many comrades know my history and have asked me to lead the defense of the transformation,” he said. “We have full confidence in their support. We will continue walking the state so that citizens express themselves, and we hope to win.”
Marín’s strength lies in his long relationship with Morena’s founding movement and his experience in federal administration. His challenge will be translating that into broad public support across Quintana Roo’s municipalities, where local presence matters.
Alexa Murguía Trujillo
Alexa Murguía Trujillo, a local deputy, registered on behalf of the Green Party, making her the most unexpected name in the group.
Her registration was backed by Green Party leader Renán Sánchez Tajonar and other party figures, signaling that the PVEM intends to have a visible role in the coalition’s internal process. Murguía represents a younger generation of political figures within Quintana Roo and offers the Green Party a candidate of its own inside the broader 4T alliance.
“I am convinced that, hand in hand with the Fourth Transformation, we can continue building a better future for Quintana Roo,” she said.
Her candidacy may not carry the same statewide name recognition as some of the others, but it is politically significant. It reflects the importance of the Green Party within Quintana Roo’s governing coalition and gives the alliance a younger, female profile to consider.
Eugenio Segura Vázquez
Eugenio “Gino” Segura Vázquez arrived with a large contingent of supporters. A senator on leave, Segura is one of the youngest and most visible contenders in the race.
Before reaching the Senate, he served as Quintana Roo’s Secretary of Finance and Planning under Governor Mara Lezama. That position gave him direct involvement in state budgeting, public finances and government planning, making him closely associated with the current administration’s economic and administrative agenda.
“Today I see that we are five colleagues registering for this aspiration,” he said. “I take this opportunity to call for unity and a level playing field so that we all work toward the common goal of defending our nation.”
Segura pledged to tour all municipalities and communities, holding informational assemblies and walking door to door. His campaign message is expected to lean heavily on continuity, fiscal management and generational change.
Ana Paty Peralta de la Peña
Ana Paty Peralta, mayor of Benito Juárez on leave, was the last to register. As the mayor of Cancún, she enters the race with one of the strongest municipal platforms in the state.
Cancún is Quintana Roo’s largest city, its economic engine and its most internationally recognized destination. Peralta has governed the municipality during a period of continued tourism growth, infrastructure pressure and rapid urban expansion. Her political message centers on continuity, results and the defense of the current transformation project.
“I come to this process with my head held high because I know where I come from and why I am here,” she said. “I come from Cancún, a world reference point, but much more than a tourist destination. It is a city built by working men and women who arrived hoping for a better future.”
She added, “The transformation in Quintana Roo cannot stop. It already has direction, projects and results. The state does not need setbacks or improvisation. Quintana Roo needs unity with principles and conviction to defend what has been built.”
Peralta’s main strength is her visibility in Cancún and her connection to the current governing project. Her challenge will be broadening that support beyond Benito Juárez and convincing voters in the rest of the state that her experience in Cancún translates to statewide leadership.
What Happens Next
The five contenders will now compete in the coalition’s internal process, which is expected to rely heavily on polling to determine who is best positioned to represent the movement in the 2027 gubernatorial election.
For Morena and its allies, the stakes are high. Quintana Roo has become one of the most politically and economically important states in the country, driven by tourism, migration, infrastructure, security concerns, environmental pressures and rapid urban growth.
The eventual candidate will likely campaign on whether the current transformation project should continue under new leadership. For voters, the internal race offers an early look at the different political styles now competing inside the same governing coalition: experience, federal connections, youth, continuity and municipal leadership.
The official campaign is still far away, but the race for Quintana Roo’s next governor has clearly begun.
