Quintana Roo Judicial Branch Certifies More Than 70 Mediation Facilitators

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The Quintana Roo Judicial Branch awarded certificates to more than 70 accredited mediation facilitators who completed the 2026 Training Program for Facilitators, during a ceremony held in Cancún.

For the first time, the program also included judges and public defenders, part of an effort to extend a culture of dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution across the state’s justice system.

Ceremony Led by Presiding Magistrate

Presiding Magistrate Heyden José Cebada Rivas of the state Superior Court of Justice and Rafael Manuel Ponce Pacheco, president of the Judicial Administration Body, led the ceremony.

In his remarks, Cebada Rivas said alternative dispute resolution mechanisms allow people to take an active role in settling their differences through dialogue, listening and the construction of agreements.

“When two people manage to hear each other, talk and build a solution, we are not only resolving a conflict — we are building peace,” he said.

Call to Promote a Culture of Agreement

Cebada Rivas urged the newly accredited facilitators to become promoters of mediation and a culture of agreement, favoring solutions that, beyond settling a dispute, preserve good relationships between people and help strengthen the social fabric.

He said mediation offers a way to address differences from a different perspective, one in which the parties can listen to each other, find common ground and jointly build solutions that keep conflicts from dragging on or damaging relationships.

He noted that Quintana Roo has been a pioneer in promoting alternative dispute resolution, consolidating a model that treats dialogue, mediation, conciliation and arbitration as fundamental tools for widening access to justice.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Ecosystem in Cancún

As part of that effort, the Judicial Branch has developed an alternative dispute resolution ecosystem made up of the Center for Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms (MASC) and a commercial court with jurisdiction over arbitration and MASC in Cancún, strengthening legal certainty and the conditions for resolving disputes in a specialized way.

“We want a culture of dialogue present throughout our justice system. Every agreement we reach through dialogue is also a small victory for peace and an opportunity to rebuild community,” the presiding magistrate said.

Officials at the Ceremony

Also on the dais were Mariana Dávila Goerner, director of the Center for Arbitration and MASC; Cristóbal de Jesús Carrillo, acting director of the Center for Alternative Justice; and Martín Zetina Zavala.