Puerto Morelos Steps Up Fight Against Child Labor

Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo — The municipality of Puerto Morelos has installed a specialized Municipal Commission and signed agreements to strengthen surveillance and care for children and adolescents, with the goal of combating child labor.

“Our commitment as a municipal government is to ensure that every boy and girl grows up free from exploitation and with full access to their fundamental rights. We reaffirm our responsibility to eradicate child labor through solid public policies, inclusive education, and effective social protection,” said Mayor Blanca Merari Tziu Muñoz during the installation of the Municipal Commission for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor and Protection of Adolescent Workers of Permissible Age.

The event took place in the José María Morelos y Pavón Council Chamber, where the municipal authority emphasized that the children of Puerto Morelos deserve safe environments that strengthen their learning and well-being.

For this reason, she said, a Collaboration Agreement was signed with the Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare of Quintana Roo to create the Interinstitutional Commission for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor (CITI) in the municipality. This will enable specific surveillance actions to inhibit any act of labor exploitation or abuse toward children and adolescents.

She recalled that, unfortunately, child labor remains a scourge in the country despite laws prohibiting it, so there is still much to do and each institution must assume its responsibility, as Puerto Morelos has done so far.

As a special guest, the head of the Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare, Verónica Salinas Mozo, highlighted that this Agreement sets an important precedent for the eradication of child labor in the municipality. She noted that labor inspections are currently being carried out in workplaces, verifying that adolescents of permissible age carry out their activities in safe environments and within the legal framework.

She also congratulated the municipal authority for having a comprehensive team committed to eradicating child exploitation, addressing the particular challenges faced by Puerto Morelos.

In his remarks, the head of the Executive Secretariat of the Comprehensive Protection System for Children and Adolescents (SIPINNA) in Quintana Roo, Jorge Isaías Quintanilla Osorio, stated that the installation of this Commission represents a deep commitment, as child labor is not just a statistic or a legal concept, but a reality that marks lives. He emphasized that the protection of childhood admits no excuses or delays, and invited everyone to join actions in favor of children and adolescents.

The executive secretary of SIPINNA Puerto Morelos and secretary of the Commission, Ana Luisa Luna Ramón, took the oath of office along with the heads of the General Secretariat of the City Council, Citizen Security, Urban Development and Territorial Planning, Geavig, Health Directorate, Social Communication, Education, Youth, Secretariat of Sustainable Tourism, Zofemat and Oversight, among other member agencies.

It should be noted that Mayor Blanca Merari Tziu Muñoz and Labor Secretary Verónica Salinas Mozo also signed a second Agreement for the start of operations of a Labor Welfare Prosecutor’s Office, whose objective is to provide legal assistance and free labor accompaniment for workers in Puerto Morelos.