Puerto Aventuras Residents Demand Mayor’s Resignation Amid Security Concerns and Complaints

Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo — A citizen petition calling for the resignation of Puerto Aventuras Mayor Gilberto Gómez Martínez is circulating online, as residents voice growing frustration over public safety, damaged streets, poor lighting, limited public services and what they describe as a lack of visible results from the local administration.

The renewed criticism follows the killing of Luis Esteban Castillo Pérez, a Playa del Carmen municipal official connected to the Secretariat of Economic Development. Local reports say Castillo Pérez was taken by armed men from government offices in Puerto Aventuras and later found dead along the Puerto Aventuras–Tulum highway, near a burned vehicle. Authorities have not yet released a full official account of the case or announced arrests publicly.

According to reports, the armed group entered municipal offices located near Xiat and Chechén streets, threatened personnel and forced Castillo Pérez out of the building in front of workers and witnesses. Hours later, his body was found along the federal highway corridor. The incident has intensified residents’ concerns about security in Puerto Aventuras, particularly because the abduction reportedly occurred in a government office during working hours.

Gómez Martínez was elected as Puerto Aventuras’ first elected alcalde and received his certificate of majority after winning the local process with 2,818 votes for the 2024–2027 term, according to the Playa del Carmen municipal government. His swearing-in took place in December 2024, in a ceremony led by municipal officials.

The current petition, hosted on Change.org, asks for Gómez Martínez’s resignation and accuses his administration of neglecting the community. Residents supporting the petition cite deteriorated streets, deficient public lighting, insecurity, lack of medical attention and an absence of public works as reasons for their demand. The petition had gathered hundreds of signatures in recent days and continued circulating on social media.

The killing of Castillo Pérez appears to have become a breaking point for some residents. In posts shared locally, critics questioned how an armed group could enter government offices and remove a public official without an immediate response from authorities. One common sentiment repeated online is that if public officials are not safe, ordinary families feel even more vulnerable.

The complaints, however, go beyond one violent incident. Residents have long expressed frustration over uneven public services in Puerto Aventuras, where the community includes the gated resort and marina area, nearby residential neighborhoods and the larger pueblo area on the west side of Federal Highway 307. Those areas often experience very different levels of infrastructure, investment and security presence, a divide that has shaped local politics for years.

The political pressure also comes as Puerto Aventuras continues to grow rapidly. More families, workers and businesses have moved into the area, increasing demand for street repairs, drainage, public lighting, health services, sports facilities, garbage collection and police presence. Local residents say that growth has not been matched by adequate public investment.

At this stage, the call for resignation remains a citizen movement rather than a formal removal process. No official decision has been announced by the municipal government, and Gómez Martínez has not publicly responded to every allegation contained in the petition. The homicide investigation also remains in the hands of law enforcement authorities, not the alcaldía alone.

Still, the public pressure is significant. The petition and social media criticism reflect a broader loss of confidence among residents who say Puerto Aventuras is facing one of its most difficult moments in recent years. For now, they are demanding two things: answers in the killing of Luis Esteban Castillo Pérez, and a more visible response to the security and service problems affecting daily life in the community.