Notary Council Demands Exams to End Favoritism

CHETUMAL, MX — Following the continued appointment of auxiliary notaries to full notary positions, Jeanine Regalado Ramírez, a member of the Council of Notaries Public of Quintana Roo, has reiterated the demand that such positions be granted solely through competitive opposition exams to prevent them from being awarded as gifts to unqualified individuals.

At the national level, the College of Notaries Public, along with several state councils including that of Quintana Roo, has advocated that the only way to access a notary public office should be through a competitive examination process. "We do not want it to be considered that notary offices are a gift for people who do not have the capacity," she insisted.

She clarified that auxiliary notaries are important to the functioning of a notary's office "but they do not take exams to obtain the full title." Regalado stated, "At the national level, the college of notaries and several councils have pushed for the only way to become a notary to be through an opposition exam. We do not want it to be considered that notary offices are given away to people who do not have the capacity."

Furthermore, Regalado Ramírez argued that the authorities of the Secretary of Government and the General Directorate of Notary Offices should review the professional performance and track record of notaries public in response to any complaints filed against them.

Regarding the process to cancel 14 notary offices, she explained that the complaint procedure, stemming from an alleged lack of probity or non-compliance with the Notary Law, falls solely under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Government and the Directorate of Notaries, who must review the titular notary's track record and performance.

She dismissed the notion that the cancellation of notary offices constitutes a witch hunt, "but the authority must take into account the performance of each notary during their time in operation because it is not possible to consider a notary public's work bad just because they have one complaint within the 18,000 procedures they have processed."

It is worth mentioning that, in the case of auxiliary notaries, since the administration of Carlos Joaquín and continuing into the current administration of Governor Mara Lezama, children of former officials, friends, close associates, and government employees have been appointed as auxiliary notaries, subsequently assuming the full title upon the resignation of the titular notary.

The most recent case is that of Edgar Aguilar Padilla, who announced that as of October 13 he will assume functions as Notary Public number 108 in Chetumal. Aguilar Padilla previously served as adjunct secretary of the plenary of the Council of the Judiciary.