Playa del Carmen Mayor Delivers Second Government Report, Touts 46% Drop in Homicides

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Mayor Estefanía Mercado delivered the detailed accounting of her second government report to the city council, pointing to a 46.4% drop in intentional homicides and more than 1.6 billion pesos invested in public security as the centerpieces of her administration’s second year.

Mercado thanked each council member for their work on behalf of residents. Councilman Orlando Muñoz was the only member who did not attend the event. State Government Secretary Cristina Torres was also present.

The mayor said the document contains figures, programs and public works, but above all reflects the efforts of thousands of men and women who make Playa del Carmen work every day.

Security Spending Tops 1.6 Billion Pesos

Mercado said her government has allocated more than 1.6 billion pesos to strengthen security, upgrading police technology and equipment to better protect residents.

She reported sharp declines in crime during 2026: intentional homicide fell 46.4%, motorcycle theft dropped 46%, vehicle theft was down 45.1% and home burglary fell 37%. The municipality also recorded zero kidnappings, she said.

Social Programs Reach Thousands

Through the “Chambamanía” program, officials said they have met residents directly and assisted more than 12,000 people across 14 neighborhoods. That effort led to the creation of “Salud Sin Tanto Choro,” which has benefited 20,000 people at clinics in Villas del Sol and the Zazil-Há neighborhood.

The mayor said the “Playa Lleno, Corazón Contento” program has helped more than 7,200 people, and that the city is continuing to distribute 36,000 food packages.

Mercado said her administration chose to tackle an issue previous governments had overlooked: child exploitation. Municipal DIF (family development agency) staff now patrol streets and tourist areas to identify cases and intervene to protect children and adolescents.

Infrastructure and Land Regularization

The city has laid more than 65,000 square meters of asphalt pavement, removed over 3,700 tons of bulky waste, built its first collection center for such debris and restored more than 14,000 streetlights.

Mercado said her administration has also focused on correcting long-standing deficits and preparing Playa del Carmen for future growth.

“That is why 3 of every 4 pesos we invested in public works went to roads, public spaces and sports infrastructure, drinking water and drainage,” she said.

She added that the municipality is working to regularize land ownership, building the technical and legal groundwork for what she described as the largest regularization campaign in the municipality’s history, carried out alongside the state government, the ejido, the city council and the business sector.

Health, Sports and Emergency Response

Playa del Carmen now has 10 ambulances, four of them operated by the Public Security Department with free service, along with an emergency helicopter that has carried out 18 aerial operations, including emergencies, searches and the transfer of critically ill patients.

In sports, the municipal government reported record results: nine new soccer fields, a skatepark, direct financial support for 104 athletes and 32 medals at the Conade National Olympiad, organized by the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sports.

More Than 35,000 Tons of Sargasso Removed

Mercado said her administration did not stand idle during one of the largest sargasso influxes recorded on the municipality’s beaches, allocating 100 million pesos in municipal funds to the effort. As of the report, more than 35,000 tons of the seaweed had been cleared.

The mayor said the results were not hers alone, noting that many were achieved through the city council. She highlighted the work done to put residents at the center of decision-making.