Yucatán Economy Secretary accused of using 2.5 million pesos for UK trip

Ermilo Barrera Novelo, the Secretary of Economy and Labor for the state of Yucatán, is facing scrutiny over a trip to the United Kingdom that reportedly cost 2.5 million pesos in public funds.

Reports indicate the trip, which included first-class flights from Cancún, five-star hotel accommodations in London, luxury dining, and a rented Mercedes with a driver, was ostensibly for an official mission. However, investigations suggest the primary purpose was to attend a wedding in Glasgow, Scotland, for a close friend. While the official itinerary included meetings with academics and business leaders to discuss investment in Yucatán, critics note that no UK authorities attended the scheduled events, casting doubt on the mission's official nature.

Barrera Novelo was accompanied by his wife, Ivonne Rivero Díaz González. The controversy centers on whether the state government attempted to disguise personal travel expenses as official business by scheduling a low-impact public event immediately preceding the wedding.