Playa del Carmen Mayor Tops Mexico’s Approval Rankings

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Estefanía Mercado, the municipal president of Playa del Carmen, has secured the top spot in Mexico’s national ranking of mayors with the highest public approval ratings, according to a May 2025 survey conducted by polling firm Data Polls México.

With a 57.2% approval rating, Mercado leads the list ahead of figures such as Antonio Astiazarán of Hermosillo, Sonora, and Carmen Lilia Canturosas of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, who placed second and third, respectively.

A National Benchmark for Municipal Leadership

The study highlights the 20 highest-rated municipal presidents in the country, positioning Playa del Carmen as one of the municipalities with the strongest public support nationwide. Other top-ranking mayors represent major cities, including Ciudad Juárez, Veracruz, San Quintín, La Paz, and Mexico City.

Political analysts attribute Mercado’s standing to a combination of factors: her close engagement with citizens, a governance approach focused on infrastructure and public services, and a political discourse aligned with the narrative of Mexico’s Fourth Transformation movement.

This marks the second consecutive month that Playa del Carmen has ranked in the top five of the survey, but it is the first time the city has claimed the number one position.

Methodology and Public Perception

The ranking is based on online and telephone surveys, with a national sampling that evaluates perceptions of honesty, tangible governance results, and community engagement. The full survey results are available on Data Polls México’s official platforms.

Related Developments

The Mercado administration has recently garnered attention for other achievements, including a 100% compliance rate in asset declarations by government officials and a record-breaking recovery rate of stolen vehicles under her security policies.

Playa del Carmen’s consistent performance in the rankings underscores its growing reputation as a model for effective municipal governance in Mexico.