The head of the Health Risk Protection Coordination Office in the municipality of Tulum, Emigdio Morales Mezquita, was removed from his position following allegations of illegal charges against merchants and business owners in the tourist destination, according to testimonies collected in a MILENIO report.
Zero tolerance, guarantees the Quintana Roo Ministry of Health
Through a statement, the state Ministry of Health said the decision was made to strengthen transparency and institutional collaboration, as well as to serve as a preventive administrative measure and facilitate investigations into the public allegations made in Tulum.
“This decision reflects the institutional commitment to ensuring that the investigations are conducted with complete objectivity, impartiality, and without any interference, while fully respecting due process and the presumption of innocence.
The Ministry of Health, through the Directorate for Protection Against Health Risks, maintains close coordination with the Federal Commission for the Protection Against Health Risks (Cofepris) and the relevant authorities to immediately address and investigate any complaint,” the agency headed by Flavio Carlos Rosado stated.
The agency also reiterated that health regulation and inspection activities in Quintana Roo continue to operate normally.
“The State Ministry of Health reaffirms its zero-tolerance policy toward any conduct contrary to the law and reiterates that it will act firmly, transparently, and in strict accordance with the legal framework, fully cooperating with the appropriate authorities until the facts are clarified,” it concluded.
Who is Emigdio Morales?
Morales Mezquita’s name has appeared in official government documents and statements from the State of Quintana Roo since 2023 as the head of the Directorate for Protection Against Health Risks (DPRIS) office in Tulum, the agency responsible for health regulation and inspection activities in the state.
In that role, he participated in health inspections and operations to remove vape vending machines, as well as campaigns encouraging the public to report health emergencies.
The former Quintana Roo government official has been accused by numerous business owners of being behind extortion schemes in the municipality for the past three years, while allegedly presenting himself as a federal official from Cofepris.
These were the accusations from merchants collected by MILENIO
On July 13, MILENIO published a report featuring interviews with business owners and tourists in Tulum, who stated that although organized crime had reduced extortion demands, fear remained in the municipality because of alleged extortion by government authorities.
Merchants reported that health inspectors carried out inspections at businesses looking for violations related to health regulations, particularly those involving water quality and required documentation.
According to the complainants, after identifying alleged violations, some inspectors offered to avoid penalties in exchange for recurring payments. In their testimonies, the merchants identified Emigdio Morales as the official responsible for coordinating those inspections.
Councilman Eugenio Barbachano, president of the Anti-Corruption Commission of the Tulum City Council, told MILENIO that over the past five years they have received multiple complaints from hotels, restaurants, and businesses regarding alleged extortion by health inspectors. He called on victims to file formal complaints in order to gather evidence.
Source: milenio
