Street Vendors in Playa del Carmen Allege Extortion by Municipal Tax Inspectors

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Street vendors in Playa del Carmen are accusing municipal tax inspectors of extorting money from them, with payments ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 pesos depending on location, furniture, and operating hours.

Baltazar Morales Tún said inspectors from the city’s Collection and Inspection Department, headed by Julián Lara Maldonado, are charging vendors for each table and chair they set up. “Putting up a taco stand on the corner is no longer a business; it doesn’t pay off,” he said. “Either you work for the government or you go work as an employee.”

Morales Tún criticized Lara Maldonado, who was transferred from Cancún, saying he cares more about filling the city’s coffers than supporting the local economy.

José Torres, another vendor, said he made two payments at municipal offices: one at the cashier that came with a receipt, and another of 900 pesos for a permit card that produced no receipt because it was handed directly to a designated person. He said payments vary from 2,000 to 3,000 pesos depending on the number of tables, chairs, and coolers, with an additional 150 pesos per hour for extended hours.

Renán Solís Meléndez said starting a business in Playa del Carmen is no longer viable. “On one hand, government inspectors extort you, and on the other, criminals charge you extortion fees. You pay either way. That’s why there’s no economic growth; the government doesn’t guarantee investment security.”

Solís Meléndez added that many municipal officials do not live in Playa del Carmen but come from other parts of Quintana Roo, so they have no commitment to local entrepreneurs. “Their debt is clear: fill the petty cash box.”

Vendors also noted that inspectors target independent street vendors but leave alone the more than 50 vendors affiliated with the CROC union, led by Martín de la Cruz Gómez, calling them “untouchable.”

“What irony from the humanist government,” said Mauricio Gastón López. “During election season they promised to support local people, but it’s all the opposite. We hope the people of Playa del Carmen wake up, because we don’t deserve these kinds of outside public servants who only cause damage not only to the economy but also to public safety.”