The Government of Quintana Roo, headed by Mara Lezama, allocated nearly 440 million pesos to a Bell 429 GlobalRanger helicopter, according to information from Agencia Reforma, an amount that represents approximately three times the roughly 145 million pesos used as a reference for an aircraft of this model. The case is significant because the helicopter is linked to PABE-TAX, a company connected to Seguritech, a state government supplier and a company also linked to aircraft used for private trips by the governor and her family. The difference between the two values is considerable, although by itself it does not establish an overprice without knowing what equipment, services, and conditions were included in the transaction.
The aircraft was publicly presented by Lezama on July 7, 2023, along with 689 patrol vehicles and 507 ballistic vests intended for security agencies. The state government reported at the time that the total investment for the vehicles, equipment, and helicopter amounted to 2 billion 262 million 685 thousand pesos.
How much did Quintana Roo pay for the Bell 429 helicopter?
According to Agencia Reforma, the amount allocated to the Bell 429 GlobalRanger was approximately 440 million pesos, equivalent at the time to about 25 million dollars.
The figure contrasts with a commercial reference of approximately 7.5 million dollars, or around 145 million pesos, for a new aircraft of this model.
When comparing both amounts:
- Reference value: 145 million pesos.
- Amount reported by Quintana Roo: 440 million pesos.
- Difference: approximately 295 million pesos.
- The expenditure is equivalent to slightly more than three times the reference value.
Therefore, it is not correct to state that 3.5 times more was paid. Based on the available figures, the ratio is close to three times the reference value.
Does this difference mean there was an overprice?
Not necessarily.
The base price of a helicopter does not always represent the final cost of an aircraft intended for government or security functions. The amount may include additional equipment and services, such as communications systems, cameras, surveillance tools, maintenance, insurance, training, operations, or specific modifications.
For this reason, directly comparing the 440 million pesos with the base price of a Bell 429 helps illustrate the difference, but does not by itself prove that the helicopter was overpriced.
To establish this, it would be necessary to know the complete contract, its technical annexes, and a breakdown of the items included in the amount paid.
Why did Quintana Roo purchase the helicopter?
Mara Lezama presented the aircraft in July 2023 as part of an investment intended to strengthen security capabilities in Quintana Roo.
The delivery included:
- 689 patrol vehicles and other vehicles.
- 507 ballistic vests.
- A Bell 429 GlobalRanger helicopter.
- A total investment of 2 billion 262 million 685 thousand pesos.
During the ceremony, the governor emphasized that the resources came from public funds and that the equipment was to be used for the security of the population.
“Security cannot be a business for anyone. The people are the ones who pay for these vehicles; it is the people’s money and for the people.”
The statement gains relevance in light of the current questions surrounding the amount allocated to the helicopter and the companies associated with its operation.
What relationship does PABE-TAX have with the helicopter?
Agencia Reforma reports that PABE-TAX is connected to the aircraft used by the Government of Quintana Roo.
The company provides air taxi services and has its operations center at Toluca Airport. It has also been identified as part of the corporate network associated with Seguritech Privada.
This connection is significant because Seguritech holds contracts with the Government of Quintana Roo for the operation and maintenance of security-related systems.
PABE-TAX has also appeared in another recent investigation into private flights used by Mara Lezama and members of her family.
What connection exists between PABE-TAX and Seguritech?
Public documents reviewed in investigations by POPLab, CONNECTAS, and Agencia Reforma have identified representatives who appear to be associated with both Seguritech Group companies and PABE-TAX.
Among them is René Bustos, who has served as a representative of both companies.
As background, Bustos signed, as an attorney-in-fact for Seguritech, a 744 million peso contract with the Government of Guanajuato on March 26, 2024.
Public Commerce Registry data also identified him as a representative of PABE-TAX.
The Guanajuato contract does not correspond to Quintana Roo, but it serves to document the business relationship between the companies.
What relationship does this company have with Mara Lezama’s private flights?
PABE-TAX has also come under scrutiny after an investigation documented private trips taken by Mara Lezama and her family.
According to information published by Agencia Reforma, at least 43 international flights were made on two private aircraft managed by PABE-TAX.
The aircraft are two Gulfstream G200s, with the following registrations:
- XA-PKR.
- XA-GLF.
The aircraft were used for trips made during Lezama’s time as mayor of Cancún and later as governor of Quintana Roo, during the period from December 2018 to December 2025.
Among the documented destinations are different cities in the United States, including tourist destinations such as Vail, Colorado, and Orlando, Florida.
Lezama has acknowledged that she traveled using private services, but maintains that they were paid for with personal funds and not public money.
The existence of links between PABE-TAX, Seguritech, and the Government of Quintana Roo does not by itself demonstrate that the companies paid for the governor’s personal trips.
What remains to be determined about the 440 million pesos?
The central issue that remains pending is what exactly was included in the amount allocated to the Bell 429.
The comparison shows a substantial difference between the commercial value used as a reference and the resources reported by the state government, but determining how the 440 million pesos were structured requires knowing, among other things:
- The actual price assigned to the aircraft.
- The special equipment incorporated.
- Maintenance costs.
- Insurance and operations.
- Crew services, if included.
- The duration and conditions of the contract.
- Additional services related to putting the helicopter into operation.
These documents would make it possible to determine whether the nearly 440 million pesos corresponded solely to the acquisition of the Bell 429 or whether they included a broader package of services.
Source: elimparcial
