National Guard Detains Tulum Treasurer at Cancún Airport, Leading to His Immediate Resignation

The municipal treasurer of Tulum, Vicente Francisco Aldape Moncada, resigned his post after National Guard officers detained him at Cancún airport on July 2 over firearms he could not license. Federal prosecutors now hold the case.

His detention removed one of the most visible figures in the current municipal administration and, according to reports circulating in Quintana Roo, a name that had been floated as a possible contender in next year's local elections. The Ayuntamiento accepted his resignation as formal and irrevocable within hours.

Two firearms flagged at a Terminal 2 checkpoint

The arrest happened during a routine security filter in Terminal 2 of Cancún International Airport, before a flight bound for Monterrey. According to the National Registry of Detentions, officers secured Aldape Moncada at around 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 2, after detecting irregularities in his luggage.

Adán Quintanilla Ávila, the Ayuntamiento's communications chief, told local media that security personnel found two firearms among his belongings, one of them a .22 caliber weapon. Both were described as arms reserved for exclusive use by the military. Because he could not produce the corresponding carry licenses, National Guard officers proceeded with the detention on the spot.

Federal prosecutors weigh the case against the Tulum treasurer

After the seizure, the National Guard transferred Aldape Moncada to the offices of the Attorney General's Office, the FGR, on Avenida José López Portillo in Cancún, where he was placed at the disposal of the federal public prosecutor. Reports indicate he was moved to the Federal Criminal Justice Center in Cancún to await a control judge who will decide his legal situation.

The matter falls under the Federal Firearms and Explosives Law, which means a federal judge will determine whether the detention was lawful and whether there are grounds to bind him to a formal process. As of this report, the FGR had not publicly announced a specific charge or defined his legal standing. Aldape Moncada faces no conviction, and the allegations remain under investigation.

A resignation letter and video addressed to the mayor

Hours after the case became public, Aldape Moncada released a video on social media confirming his decision to leave office. He did not detail the detention itself, referring only to the events of that Thursday.

He said he had decided to separate from his position as municipal treasurer because of what he called the unfortunate events of that day. He added that he considers himself a man of principle who trusts fully in the law and its institutions, and that the work would proceed according to due process.

A resignation letter dated July 3, one day after the detention, began circulating on social media in parallel. Addressed to Mayor Diego Castañón Trejo, the document formalized his immediate departure and thanked the municipal government for its confidence. The Ayuntamiento confirmed the resignation in a brief statement and said the Cabildo will designate whoever assumes the treasury for the rest of the term.

Castañón Trejo told reporters he had spoken with Aldape Moncada on the morning of the flight, before losing contact with his messages and calls. The mayor said he was already reviewing movements inside the municipal treasury as a result.

An unconfirmed report of undeclared cash

Several outlets reported that undeclared cash may also have been found among his belongings during the inspection. No authority has confirmed that account, and it should be treated as an unverified version rather than an established fact. Another version that surfaced in early coverage suggested he may have confused his luggage, a claim that likewise remains unconfirmed.

A political rise interrupted before next year's elections

Aldape Moncada took office as treasurer on January 23, 2025, replacing Antonio Miranda. Before that he served as coordinator of advisers within the municipal administration, a role he held when the current mayor himself ran the treasury.

His profile carried weight beyond the finance office. Political actors in Quintana Roo had described him as a possible aspirant to the municipal presidency of Tulum, and local accounts placed him among the names that could figure in next year's electoral cycle. The treasury is one of the central positions in any municipal government, responsible for public funds and budget management, which gives his abrupt exit both administrative and political consequences.

What follows now depends on the federal courts. A control judge will decide whether the case advances, while the Cabildo moves to fill a vacancy at the top of Tulum's finances during an election year.

Should public officials facing a criminal detention step aside immediately, or wait for a court to rule? Join the conversation and share your perspective with us on Instagram and Facebook at @thetulumtimes.