Dozens of Puerto Vallarta police officers say they never received a promised bonus of 15,000 pesos despite meeting eligibility criteria. The mayor faces backlash.
More than 100 operational police officers in Puerto Vallarta say they are still waiting on a promised 15,000 peso bonus that was supposed to arrive in the second half of June. The incentive, tied to passing annual Control and Confidence Exams, was part of a formal agreement signed between the local police union and the administration of Mayor Luis Ernesto Munguía González.
The officers accuse the municipal government of breaking the terms of that agreement, fueling dissatisfaction and talk of possible protests or strikes in the coming weeks.
Agreement Promised 15,000 Pesos for Qualified Officers
According to the signed document, the bonus—officially called the "Incentive for Passing the Control and Confidence Exams"—was to be issued annually and increase over time:
- 15,000 pesos the first year
- 22,500 pesos the second year
- 30,000 pesos in the third year
The agreement states the funds for the incentive would come from the federal Fondo de Aportaciones para el Fortalecimiento de los Municipios (Fortamun), a resource pool aimed at strengthening local institutions and public safety efforts.
To be eligible, police officers had to attend and pass the required evaluations within the specified timeframe and maintain their certification. The document further clarifies that the payment applies only to operational personnel who carry out high-risk physical duties. Officers with operational titles but working in administrative roles are explicitly excluded.
Yet despite meeting those conditions, many officers say the bonus never arrived.
Officers Say Conditions Were Never Made Clear
One officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the mayor publicly promised the bonus without mentioning any conditions.
"I'm unhappy because I didn’t receive the bonus,” he said. “I don’t understand any of this, since the president [mayor] never mentioned it had to do with passing control and trust exams. He just said he was going to give 30,000 pesos annually, no strings attached.”
Others echoed the same frustration. Some officers admit they weren’t aware the bonus was tied to the exams at all—something they say should have been made clearer. Still, the majority say they did take and pass the required tests and are baffled by the delay in payment.
Non-Operational Staff Reportedly Received Payment
What’s added to the tension is the claim that some non-operational staff received the incentive, even though the agreement states it is exclusive to operational officers. If confirmed, this would directly contradict the rules laid out in the original union-government agreement.
“It’s hard to swallow when you see someone behind a desk get the payment, and you’re out on the street every day and get nothing,” said another officer.
Talk of Protest and Strike Grows
As the situation develops, internal discussions are reportedly underway among affected officers to determine the next steps. While no protest or strike has been confirmed, several officers said both are on the table.
“We’re not ruling anything out,” one officer said. “We just want what we were promised. Nothing more.”
The municipal government has yet to issue a public statement addressing the complaints or clarifying the current status of the bonus payments.
Mayor Luis Munguía, who made financial incentives for police officers a talking point during his campaign, now faces growing pressure to resolve the situation or risk further unrest within the city’s public security force.
