Taxi Union Leader Killed in Playa del Carmen Shooting

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Violence once again shook Playa del Carmen this Sunday when Abel Pérez Pérez, a delegate of the powerful Sindicato de Taxistas “Lázaro Cárdenas del Río,” was executed in cold blood upon arriving at his home in the troubled Nueva Esperanza settlement.

A Daylight Assassination

The crime occurred in broad daylight around 5 p.m. on Bahía de Corea Avenue, near the In House neighborhood. Pérez was traveling in the union’s patrol vehicle, number 20, when at least two gunmen blocked his path and opened fire without mercy. Witnesses reported hearing more than 10 gunshots before the scene fell into eerie silence.

Abel Pérez, 37, died instantly inside the vehicle, which became his steel coffin.

A Key Figure in Union Power Struggles

Pérez was no ordinary taxi driver. He had been a pivotal figure within the union, particularly in high-stakes economic and political zones such as Quinta Avenida and, more recently, Puerto Aventuras, where tensions over routes, permits, and concessions have escalated in recent weeks.

Most notably, Pérez was closely aligned with the union’s current leader, Luis Herrera Quiam, who has faced accusations of maintaining iron-fisted control over the organization amid rumors of infiltration by organized crime.

Motives Unclear, Fear Spreads

Authorities have not issued an official statement, but internal sources suggest the killing may be linked to internal disputes, pressure over route control, or even a “cleanup” ordered from higher up.

Municipal police, the National Guard, and the State Attorney General’s Office secured the scene and transported the body to the Forensic Medical Service (SEMEFO). As of this report, no arrests have been made, deepening unease among drivers, some of whom speculate about an internal purge.

“This wasn’t a robbery—this was a message. There are traitors here, or someone is cleaning house,” said a longtime union member who spoke anonymously.

A Pattern of Violence

Pérez’s murder adds to a growing list of crimes targeting transport workers in the Mexican Caribbean, where clashes over money, power, routes, and alleged narco-politics have created a volatile mix. Critics have questioned state authorities and the ruling Morena party for allowing shadowy interests to infiltrate unions, turning figures like Pérez into potential targets—whether for broken loyalties or knowing too much.

The investigation remains ongoing, but among the union’s ranks, fear now looms larger than the hum of idling engines.