The La Paz corruption trial advances as former mayor Rubén Muñoz Álvarez and ex-comptroller Sonia Murillo Manríquez face charges of illicit public service and embezzlement in water-resource and fund-misuse cases.
A control judge in Baja California Sur has ordered former La Paz mayor Rubén Muñoz Álvarez and ex–state comptroller Sonia Murillo Manríquez to stand trial in two separate corruption cases, advancing the La Paz corruption trial to its next stage. Prosecutors allege the pair abused public office—one by approving improper land-use changes that threatened regional water supplies and the other by diverting public funds into a personal bank account.
According to Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Lenin Emiliano Ortíz Amao, Muñoz Álvarez, along with former council members Juan Ramón Domínguez and Pilar Eduardo Carballo, approved a violation of local planning regulations. Prosecutors say the change benefited a large real-estate development and risked the water supply for nearby communities. The complaint first emerged in 2021, filed by the citizen group Frente Ciudadano en Defensa del Agua y la Vida, which has long defended local resources. Muñoz Álvarez’s subsequent election as a federal deputy that year granted him constitutional immunity, halting judicial action until he left office in 2024.
A six-hour hearing led the control judge to find sufficient evidence to formally link Muñoz Álvarez to charges of illicit exercise of public service in co-authorship, to the detriment of the La Paz City Council. As precautionary measures, all three defendants must report monthly to authorities, and prosecutors have a six-month window to complete the investigation. Arturo Rubio Ruiz, attorney for the citizen collective, praised the ruling as a victory for residents who “defend their territory and water,” noting that the former officials tried unsuccessfully to delay the hearing.
In a parallel case, prosecutors presented documented evidence tying ex-comptroller and former federal deputy Sonia Murillo Manríquez to embezzlement. Between 2016 and 2020, she allegedly diverted MXN 125,000 from the “five per thousand state” fund—intended for public-works inspection—into her personal account. Prosecutors say she mischaracterized the transfer as a “one-time incentive payment,” a move unsupported by the Finance Secretariat for executive-branch staff. Submitted evidence includes a complaint from the state comptroller’s legal director, her asset declarations, disbursement vouchers, payment authorizations, and signed receipts.
Prosecutor Ortíz Amao emphasized that “regardless of rank or level, any public servant who abuses their position will face consequences.” He urged citizens to trust that the justice system can secure results, “even when immunity issues complicate matters.”
Rubén Muñoz Álvarez served as La Paz mayor from 2018 after leaving the PRI to join Morena. Sonia Murillo Manríquez held key finance posts, including Director of Administration and Finance of the SEP and state comptroller general under PAN administrations from 2011 to 2018. Both later represented Baja California Sur as federal deputies.
The next procedural step will set trial dates and establish timelines for witness testimony and evidence presentation. Observers say the dual cases mark a rare moment of accountability for high-profile officials in the state. As the La Paz corruption trial moves forward, local activists and residents will watch closely to see whether the courts deliver on the promise of impartial justice.
