Playa del Carmen Market Vendors Report Corruption, Drug Sales

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — A serious situation involving alleged corruption, extortion, and even drug dealing has been reported by vendors in the municipal markets of Playa del Carmen, placing Secretary of Economic Development and Investment Attraction, Anton Bojorquez Mackay, and his reportedly unconditional Director of Markets, Jesús Antonio Pérez Ayala, under intense scrutiny.

Sources close to the municipal government of Estefanía Mercado indicated that Bojorquez Mackay is reportedly on "shaky ground" because his priorities appear to lean more toward his political future with the Morena party than his current responsibilities.

In this context, the Secretary allegedly brought in Pérez Ayala approximately one year ago. Pérez Ayala, a figure originally from Iguala, Guerrero, was supposedly expelled from Acapulco due to allegations of corruption, to act as his political operator within the municipal payroll.

To this end, Pérez Ayala was placed in the Directorate of Markets. However, vendors who requested anonymity for security reasons report that the director is rarely or never seen in the markets and that his management has generated great indignation. They describe him as an arrogant, rude, foul-mouthed person who, inexplicably, professes an aversion to people of Yucatecan origin.

The vendors' complaints point to Pérez Ayala allegedly attempting to charge vendors fees "akin to extortion." Furthermore, he is accused of selling or leasing available market stalls at ridiculously low prices to "strangers," while asking long-standing, legitimate vendors such high prices that it is impossible for them to acquire the stalls.

The Most Serious Accusation: Drug Dealing in Garbage Storage Areas

The concern has escalated to public safety levels. The pioneer vendors deeply lament the director's actions, but the most alarming allegation is that "strangers" integrated by the director are allegedly storing drugs in the garbage storage areas of the three municipal markets, using them as warehouses for drug dealing activities.

"Since the bad actors started using the market garbage dumps as drug storage this year, we had not experienced these fearful situations," stated vendors who, fearing reprisals, remain silent.

Members of the Directorate of Markets itself have informed Secretary Bojorquez Mackay about these serious anomalies, but, according to sources, he has ignored them, blatantly defending his unconditional director. Despite markets being the primary "welcoming face" that identifies a municipality touristically, this dangerous situation is "undermining the image they should project."

The vendors have staged at least two or three protests against the director from Iguala, but Pérez Ayala, feeling protected, ignores the protests and appears to act as the "owner" of his unsound actions.

The importation of this individual from an Acapulco known for its unfortunate common denominator of crime, insecurity, kidnappings, extortion, and drugs, has raised alarms in Playa del Carmen, demanding that authorities conduct a prompt and thorough investigation into the management of Jesús Antonio Pérez Ayala and the alleged backing of Anton Bojorquez Mackay.