Ex-Mayor Laura Fernández Cleared to Run for Office Again

Cancún, Mexico — Laura Fernández Piña, the former mayor of Puerto Morelos, has obtained a definitive suspension that orders the removal of her name from the Registry of Disqualified Public Servants for reasons of corruption, as long as there is no final sentence against her.

The measure was granted on October 24 by the Eighth District Court of Quintana Roo, which ruled: "The definitive suspension of the challenged act is granted, for the purpose that the Fourth Ordinary and Specialized Chamber in Matters of Urban Development and Environment of the Administrative and Anti-Corruption Court of Justice of the State of Quintana Roo, eliminate the publication of the sanctions imposed on the complainant here from the System of Sanctioned Public Servants […] until such time as the constitutional hearing is held and a decision is made regarding the definitive sentence."

Suspension of the Disqualification

With this resolution, Laura Fernández temporarily avoids a 20-year disqualification from holding public office, a sanction that had been imposed on her by the State Administrative and Anti-Corruption Court of Justice.

Furthermore, the former mayor is challenging a fine of 78.9 million pesos, also issued by said Court, which found her responsible for a serious administrative offense for abuse of functions, stemming from unpaid social security contributions to the IMSS during her municipal administration.

Defense Argument

At the time, Fernández Piña argued that these contributions were not made because her administration decided to prioritize the payment of worker salaries during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Months ago, the former mayor had lost an injunction in the same court due to a procedural error for not following the legal route of appeal. However, the injunction has now been admitted, and with this suspension, she has won a first legal battle while the underlying process continues.