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Former Mayor of Valladolid, Yucatán, Investigated for Corruption; Accused of Demanding “Kickbacks” from Restaurateurs

- September 28, 2024

The restaurant guild indicated that the former PAN mayor demanded up to 150,000 pesos for municipal permits to operate establishments.

The State Investigation Police (PEI) seized documents from the City Hall of this municipality as part of the investigation against former mayor Alfredo Fernández Arceo for alleged acts of corruption and embezzlement of funds.

Earlier this year, the Valladolid Yucatán Restaurant Association (Arvay), then chaired by Jordi Abraham Martínez, filed a complaint against the former mayor for demanding under-the-table payments of up to 150,000 pesos to authorize municipal permits for the operation of food establishments.

The restaurant guild indicated that the former PAN mayor demanded “kickbacks” to obtain the license for the sale of alcoholic beverages, leading about 14 restaurants to initiate legal proceedings for these abuses.

Therefore, ministerial agents appeared at the Municipal Presidency to gather evidence and follow up on the complaint filed against Fernández Arceo, notifying the authorities about the investigation and securing documents.

It should be noted that, following the restaurateurs’ complaint, the then-mayor said that the money would be used to build security booths and buy ATVs to reinforce security. He even submitted this charge to the City Council; however, he could not avoid the criminal complaint against him.

These illicit acts by the former mayor, according to Arvay, led to the closure of businesses, leaving many families in Valladolid unemployed. Additionally, restaurateurs had to pay another 30,000 pesos as established by the Municipal Law.

Source: El Universal