Former Yucatán governor and current PAN senator, Mauricio Vila Dosal, is accused of using ghost companies to divert millions from the state budget, similar to his actions in the Mérida City Council.
Investigations by Sol Yucatán reveal that one such company, “Planisur,” received 21 contracts through direct awards or rigged tenders during Vila Dosal’s administration, totaling at least 150 million pesos.
Contracts and Irregularities
Starting in 2020, Planisur began receiving state government contracts for various projects, many outside its business scope. Before this, there were no records of contracts between the state government and Planisur.
The Institute for the Development and Certification of the Physical Educational and Electrical Infrastructure of Yucatán (Idefeey) awarded 18 of these 21 contracts, representing 86% of the total. Idefeey was led by Luis Montalvo Duarte, a trusted associate of Vila Dosal, who was also involved with ghost companies in Mérida.
Despite being favored by the PAN government, Planisur operates from a modest two-story house in the Leandro Valle neighborhood, with no visible machinery or personnel, suggesting it is a ghost company.
Overpriced Contracts
Several contracts show inflated costs. For example, in 2020, Idefeey awarded Planisur 12.75 million pesos for constructing bathrooms at Technical Secondary School No. 66 in Mérida. Another contract for 12.05 million pesos was for unspecified rehabilitation work at the José Peón Contreras theater, which remains closed after a 2022 fire.
By the end of Vila Dosal’s administration, Planisur had received 22 million pesos for the theater’s rehabilitation. Additionally, the company was awarded 6.87 million pesos for minor renovations at the Government Palace museum, work reportedly done by Public Works Secretariat employees, not Planisur.
Broader Implications
Mauricio Vila Dosal has been investigated for leading a network of billing companies. As Mérida’s mayor, he allegedly diverted over 220 million pesos through 21 ghost companies. The Superior Audit Office of Yucatán (ASEY) investigated the Mérida City Council for this alleged embezzlement, but the criminal action was extinguished when Vila Dosal became governor.
Source: El Sol de Yucatan
