Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. November 6, 2026 – Families are planning missing person searches this Friday as a disputed COMUDE incident and questions over the cost of the City Hall renovation come under the spotlight.
What should residents watch for as the day unfolds? Search updates are the priority, followed by requests for financial records, a plea for tourism funding, and a deadline approaching to help organize the Jalisco elections.
Families take their search into the field
Una Luz para Nuestros Desaparecidos Puerto Vallarta is planning field searches and the distribution of missing persons notices today. The families want to share the cases as widely as possible throughout Vallarta and the surrounding municipalities, hoping to get information that will lead to the recovery of their loved ones.
The report quotes Jalisco’s state register, which lists 574 active disappearance cases in Puerto Vallarta (533 men and 41 women). Those are the figures cited in the advance notice, not a current count as of Friday.
The effort comes in the wake of renewed pressure from the families of the missing. Our coverage of the protest Vallarta Daily’s coverage of the protest called for Melissa Carranza and Violeta Santana reported on a protest planned for outside Walmart Pitillal on October 31. The announcement of today’s search describes the fieldwork and publicity efforts but gives no public meeting point or a start time.
COMUDE dispute leaves financial questions unresolved
Councilor Melissa Madero says she was assaulted on Thursday 5th November, at the Municipal Sports Council (COMUDE) when she went to request administrative and financial information. The request was for expenditure, payroll, and revenue data relating to the introductory sports classes for 2024, 2025, and the current year.
As reported in Spanish, Madero said: “He threw me to the floor and kicked me.” She said she would be going to the prosecutors.
Separately, a report on the circulating security footage contains images of the moments around her fall. It states that a full review of the footage would be required to determine exactly what occurred. The available footage does not provide a definitive account of the incident.
As the Vallarta Daily previously reported here, Madero has also been asking questions about the municipal payroll, the contracts and the DIF’s finances. Access to information about how the money is being spent is at the heart of the discussion.
Mayor sets January target for office furnishings
In an interview, Mayor Luis Munguía said furnishing his office at City Hall in Centro, across from Plaza de Armas, will begin in January 2027. The office renovation project began in October 2024, when the mayor moved his office to the UMA, Municipal Administrative Unit.
Munguía confirmed the main build was complete, with some glazing, finishes, and bathroom fittings still to go. The admin was prioritizing operating expenses and had funds set aside to furnish the office from 1st January.
The same report included disputed figures totaling about 8.15 million pesos: approximately 6.72 million for renovation and 1.43 million for furnishings. Munguía dismissed the stated purchase prices and pointed to the municipality’s transparency records.
Those competing accounts leave the final cost entirely unresolved. The contracts, invoices, payment records and delivery notes would have enabled residents to work out exactly what money had been committed to the scheme, what money had been paid, and what had actually been received. The mayor’s January target in itself says nothing about the cost of the scheme.
Tourism businesses seek a federal budget commitment
Hotel and business representatives from Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas are asking lawmakers to include tourism funding in the 2027 federal budget, according to NNC’s report on Thursday’s industry meeting.
Their proposal is based on the revenue from the Derecho de No Residente (fee for non-residents). The industry says 28% of that revenue, about 5.6 billion pesos, would go into the federal coffers without a tourism earmark, and they want that 28% earmarked for promotion, advertising, infrastructure, and crisis response.
The amount is a national revenue pool. Any benefit to Vallarta would depend on the budget the legislature ultimately approves and the rules governing how that budget is used.
For those whose livelihood comes from hotel bookings, restaurant bookings, tours, and transport, the issue is whether the appeal becomes a tangible commitment of funds. The meeting on Thursday established a common industry desire; it didn’t result in an approved campaign or a Vallarta allocation.
Electoral council applicants face a November deadline
The IEPC in Jalisco is calling for members to join 20 district councils and 125 municipal councils.
District council applications close 16th November. Municipal council applications remain open until 15th March 2027. These bodies prepare, conduct, and oversee elections in their area.
The published requirements are Mexican citizenship by birth, a valid voter credential, Jalisco origin, or two years’ residence in the state, and no party affiliation. There are also restrictions on recent candidacies, holding elected office, and holding party leadership.
Registration is entirely online via the IEPC website. You’ll need to upload your voter credential, birth certificate, proof of address, resume, and statement of interest, along with the required forms. For district applicants, that paperwork is due Monday, November 16.
