Samahil Mayor Rigoberto Javier Tun Salas died Saturday from COVID-19, officials announced.
The PRD politician, whose recovery was complicated by diabetes, is the second mayor of a Yucatan city to have perished. Last week the mayor of Maxcanú died. Marlene Catzín, a longtime PRI member. Both were in their second terms in office.
Tun Salas had stopped appearing at various municipal events in recent days, and was not even present during a recent visit by Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal.
Another mayor, Ruby Alejandrina Sosa Pérez of Bokobá, has revealed that she contracted COVID-19 and is recuperating under quarantine at home. On the state level, the legislature was put on a minimal schedule after several workers and possibly at least one lawmaker contracted the virus.
The death Samahil’s mayor was confirmed by Alejandro Cuevas Mena, state PRD president and local deputy in Yucatan’s legislature.
He stated that Tun Salas’ leadership was recognized by the voters who elected him to office twice.
“He was a fighter all his life,” said state PRD president and local deputy, Alejandro Cuevas Mena. “He had a deep love for all his people, everyone loved him, and he leaves an important legacy for the municipality.”
Cuevas Mena called on Yucatan society to “use disinfectants, that they wash their hands, that they take care of themselves.”
Samahil, roughly 35 kilometers / 22 mi southwest of Merida, has a population of around 5,000.
