Cancún launches new municipal shelter, aims to replace 'El Torito' detention center

The municipality of Benito Juárez in Cancún opened the Albergue para Transformar Vidas “María Loreto León Beltrán,” a shelter that provides food, a safe sleeping area, clothing, basic hygiene items and access to rehabilitation and social reintegration programs for people experiencing homelessness. According to Jorge Rivero, director of the civil courts, the shelter’s voluntary admission protocol, coordinated with the municipal security department and the Institute for Addiction Prevention, has sharply reduced the practice of individuals deliberately committing minor offenses to be detained for a night’s shelter.

Local authorities and civil organizations are also evaluating a proposal to convert part of the existing municipal detention facility known as “El Torito” into a temporary shelter. The plan would allocate a separate area within the complex to offer meals, hygiene services, medical screening and referrals to the municipal DIF and health services for psychological support, addiction treatment and job placement, with a target implementation in 2026.