Mayor Under Fire After Carnival Ride Accident

Cozumel Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez and the local and state Civil Protection departments have come under scrutiny for permitting the use of potentially dangerous amusement rides without proper inspection. This oversight nearly resulted in a fatal accident at the Carnival Cozumel 2025 event.

Families attending the carnival were horrified when a young woman was thrown from a ride due to a safety malfunction. The ride was subsequently shut down by the municipal Civil Protection department, but many argue that this response was too late and that Mayor Chacón Méndez should have taken preventative measures.

The carnival quickly descended into chaos when the amusement ride suffered a serious safety failure, causing a woman to be ejected from her seat. Eyewitnesses claimed that the safety bars on the ride did not close properly, putting all passengers at high risk.

Mayor Chacón Méndez has yet to address the safety lapses at the event. The Civil Protection department, tasked with ensuring the safety of attendees, has also been noticeably absent. The mayor now faces potential fines for neglecting to inspect the rides, enforce necessary safety regulations, and ensure liability insurance was in place.

Civil protection activities in Quintana Roo, including the regulation and supervision of amusement rides, are governed by the state's Civil Protection Law. This law mandates municipal inspections prior to the installation of rides. However, it appears that such oversight was lacking in Cozumel.

This is not the first time that amusement rides in Quintana Roo have been linked to fatal accidents. In 2008, a woman died at the Expofer fair in Chetumal when a ride's safety lock broke. In 2014, a teenager was left in a coma after being electrocuted on a ride in Cancun. In 2015, a ride in Playa del Carmen malfunctioned, necessitating a rescue operation by firefighters.

It appears that local authorities often respond to these incidents by issuing fines to the companies involved, leading some to speculate that they may be profiting from these oversights. Public outrage is mounting, with citizens demanding immediate action to prevent further tragedies.

The organizers of Carnival Cozumel 2025 have yet to acknowledge their role in the lack of safety regulation for the carnival's mechanical attractions.