Just a few months into her tenure as municipal president of Izamal, Melisa Puga Rodríguez, a member of the Morena political party, has been criticized for her consistent absence from City Hall.
The lack of visibility from the mayor has led to accusations that she is abandoning her duties and allowing her inner circle, including her husband, to wield significant power behind the scenes.
Sources within City Hall have revealed that Mayor Puga Rodríguez rarely sets foot in the municipal offices, citing vague reasons for her absence. Her personal assistant, Ricardo León, a trusted ally from Mérida, has effectively taken control of the administration. León is closely tied to Roberto Rodríguez Sosa, a prominent figure in Yucatecan politics with a history of controversy and questionable dealings.
Critics argue that key decisions are being made by a small clique surrounding the mayor, led by Ariel Rodríguez Leal, also known as El Chiquilín, and Luis Alberto Casanova Ciau, alias El Canelo, Melisa Puga’s husband. Residents claim that El Chiquilín has been imposing his will on City Hall staff, denying citizens access to the mayor, and treating employees with disrespect.
However, the most contentious issue plaguing Izamal is a potential business deal between the mayor and her husband involving the rental and maintenance of eight vans supposedly for municipal use. According to allegations, these vehicles are being utilized exclusively by the mayor’s inner circle.
The city is reportedly spending nearly 300,000 pesos each month on this service, which directly benefits Melisa Puga Rodríguez’s family. Her husband, El Canelo, has been described as arrogant and rude to City Hall workers, who believe he stands to gain the most from this arrangement.
As a network of loyalists appears to be controlling City Hall, citizens of Izamal are left waiting for answers, attention, and genuine leadership. The people expect that their mayor will govern directly and visibly, rather than operating in secrecy.
The post Izamal municipal president Melisa Puga, criticized for her constant absence from City Hall first appeared on The Yucatan Times.