Cancun, Quintana Roo — Maria Rubio, who served as honorary president of the DIF Quintana Roo social welfare system during the administration of former Governor Joaquin Hendricks Diaz, has died at age 73, her family announced Thursday.
Rubio died after battling an illness with strength and dignity, surrounded by loved ones, according to a family statement.
A trained military nurse specializing in cardiology and intensive care, Rubio dedicated much of her life to public service. She led the state DIF from 1999 to 2005, focusing on vulnerable populations, particularly children and adolescents.
Among her key initiatives was the campaign “Con las niñas y los niños no se vale” (roughly, “Don’t mess with children”), which later gained national attention with support from the then-Attorney General’s Office.
Family and friends remember her as a strong-willed woman committed to social causes and deeply devoted to her family.
She is survived by her children Edgar and Leslie, and nine grandchildren.
The family thanked the public for expressions of solidarity and said funeral arrangements would be announced later.
More Lifestyle
- Dogs on Playa 88 Raise Questions About Beach Rules and Enforcement
- Authorities Shut Down Unauthorized Palapas on Yucatán Beach
- Vatican Grants Permanent Spiritual Bond to Cancun’s Mary Undoer of Knots Sanctuary
- Mérida Carnival 2027 Names Its Queens and Kings
- Izamal to Celebrate Our Lady of Izamal During August
More Quintana Roo
- Quintana Roo violence surges as 2027 election nears
- Quintana Roo Prosecutor’s Office Accepts Human Rights Recommendations Over Torture Cases
- Federal Participations 2026: How Much Will Quintana Roo Municipalities Receive?
- Quintana Roo Firefighters Join Mission to Combat Wildfires in Canada
- Sargassum Levels Drop in Quintana Roo, but Red Alert Remains
