Quintana Roo, Mexico — Héctor Contreras, the head of the Tax Administration Service (SAT) in Quintana Roo, was caught on camera attending an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden, seated just below former President Donald Trump’s suite.
Cameras broadcasting the game between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs panned to Trump, who became the first sitting or former U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game. In the same frame, Contreras appeared alongside a young companion, both wearing Knicks jerseys. The Knicks lost 115-111, putting the series at 2-1 in favor of New York.
Tickets in that section of the arena cost over $10,000, according to reports.
While global headlines focused on Trump being booed by the crowd, Contreras has faced criticism in Mexico for his presence at the high-profile event.
Who is Héctor Contreras?
Héctor José Contreras Mercader has served as the head of the SAT in Quintana Roo since Governor Mara Lezama appointed him after she took office. He holds a degree in Finance and Public Accounting and began his career as an accounting assistant in private and public sectors.
From 2011 to 2013, he was a department head in the Benito Juárez city council. In 2013, he was elected as a councilor in Benito Juárez and later served as director of the Integral Solid Waste Solution in Cancún. Between 2016 and 2018, he was the city’s chief officer, a role he continued under then-Mayor Mara Lezama in 2018.
Neither Contreras nor the SAT in Quintana Roo has publicly commented on his attendance at the game.
