Ex-Mayor’s Lavish Spending Scandal Rocks Playa del Carmen

Solidaridad's Mayor, Roxana Lili, has been criticized for her questionable spending and hiring practices. Notably, she has been accused of awarding large contracts to companies for minimal work, and failing to hire appropriate suppliers.

A case in point is contract DPM/LP/ADQ/041/2024, where Mayor Lili and her administration hired Dimexim S. de R.L. de C.V., a company specializing in the retail sale of glass and mirrors, to provide transportation services. The company, owned by Luz Pamela Martínez Salvador, was contracted to rent two buses for student transportation.

For this service, the City Council approved a total of $11,455,000.00, with an advance payment of five million 727 thousand 500 pesos, or 50% of the total amount, made just 10 days after the contract began.

It's worth noting that this multi-million dollar contract only covers a five-month period, from May 3 to September 29, 2024. This decision has raised eyebrows, given the company's lack of experience in transportation and the high cost for a relatively short service period.

Such actions have led to accusations of irresponsibility against Mayor Lili, who has been criticized for delegating work to inexperienced suppliers and misusing resources that could have been better used to benefit the residents of Playa del Carmen.

This dissatisfaction was evident in the recent elections, where voters ensured Mayor Lili did not secure a second term.

The issue of public transportation in Playa del Carmen has been a contentious one. Previously, local minibuses charged an unauthorized fee of 15 pesos per ticket for regular routes, a cost not approved by any relevant authority. This highlights the poor quality of public transportation in the area, a problem Mayor Lili failed to address during her tenure, despite campaign promises to the contrary.

Although public transportation falls under state jurisdiction, this issue also brings to light the subpar service provided by the Tucsa company, closely associated with Playa del Carmen's leadership. The company's outdated vehicles pose a risk to daily passengers commuting to their homes, workplaces, and schools.

The authorized cost of a bus ticket in Playa del Carmen is 10 pesos for a regular route. However, despite the lower cost, the quality of service provided by Tucsa leaves much to be desired. This issue, along with Mayor Lili's questionable spending and hiring practices, continues to be a major concern for the residents of Playa del Carmen.