The director of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), Manuel Bartlett Díaz, and his family have once again been linked to the acquisition of large and valuable real estate properties, leveraging their positions of power.
According to Proceso magazine, Bartlett’s partner, Julia Abdalá Lemus, and their son, León Manuel Bartlett Álvarez, have taken possession of land totaling 164 hectares in exclusive areas of Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum.
These real estate transactions involve officials and former officials accused of corruption. Some of the land was awarded at a value of zero pesos.
A common thread among these acquisitions is their substantial increase in value due to the development of the Tren Maya (Maya Train), the flagship infrastructure project of the López Obrador administration, as highlighted in Proceso’s investigation.
While Bartlett Díaz served as a senator for the PT (Labor Party), an ally of Morena, from 2012 to 2018, and later as director of the CFE under López Obrador’s administration, his associates were acquiring luxurious land and properties strategically located for the most significant projects of the Fourth Transformation (4T).
The investigation details how Julia Abdalá Lemus and León Manuel Bartlett Álvarez acquired properties through questionable processes, often with the collaboration of officials implicated in corruption. These lands are situated in Quintana Roo and amount to approximately 164 hectares.
Notably, Abdalá Lemus purchased a luxury apartment in the La Privada condominium within Aldea Zamá, Tulum, in 2019, during Bartlett’s tenure as CFE director. The acquisition was made through a trust with Banco Invex.
The nearby Parque del Jaguar (Jaguar Park) has faced criticism from local environmentalists, who view it as a tourist plan for the affluent rather than a genuine protected natural area.
The construction of Parque del Jaguar, which is 92% complete and represents a 2.5 billion peso investment, has driven the expansion of Aldea Zamá, benefiting property owners in the area, including Abdalá Lemus.
Source: La Rancherita
