Ex-Secretary of Roxana Lili Faces Arrest in Corruption Scandal

Santiago Alberto Chávez Marfil, the ex-Secretary of Citizen Participation for former Mayor Roxana Lili, is on the brink of becoming the first official from the past three years in the municipality of Solidaridad to face arrest. Chávez Marfil is accused of illegally using public funds to buy votes in the previous election. He served as a public official before running as a local deputy candidate, a race he ultimately lost.

Chávez Marfil has been seeking refuge in Morena after a federal court denied a definitive suspension against an arrest warrant. He is closely associated with the previous mayor of Solidaridad, Filiberto Martínez Méndez. Méndez, who is currently a local deputy, is accused of embezzling millions of dollars from the municipality over a decade ago.

Following his unsuccessful bid for deputy, Chávez Marfil filed an indirect protection lawsuit against an arrest warrant. The warrant was issued by the State Attorney General's Office of Quintana Roo, at the request of the Office of the Comptroller. The charges relate to his alleged involvement in a multi-million dollar embezzlement scheme, where he is said to have used public resources and social aids to simulate government actions and buy votes.

However, Chávez Marfil's plan to protect himself was unsuccessful. Last Thursday, a judicial agreement was issued by the Second District Court, deciding not to protect him through a definitive suspension of the arrest warrant. As a result, Chávez Marfil is likely to be the first official arrested and incarcerated.

Roxana Lili, who has been desperately seeking refuge in Morena, may also face a similar fate. The former municipal president of Solidaridad had previously slandered Morena for years with her public statements.