Chairman Fights to Take Back Succotz Welcome Centre

Residents of San Jose Succotz say their village’s welcome centre no longer feels like it belongs to them. The newly elected village chairman, Armando Cocom, says the facility has become restricted and is being managed by a committee without proper accountability, which has left villagers frustrated and excluded from its use.

“It was brought to my attention as the chairman now of the village. Concerned villagers are on social media… They’re posting it because they have been tired of this,” Cocom said.

He explained that even as chairman, he has been denied access to the building. “You have to pay for the use, and I don’t even have access to it, being the chairman of the village,” he told News 5.

Cocom is calling for the facility to be returned to the community’s control.

“Just yesterday I got some information about an event happening, about an eye checkup. I was not aware of that. When it comes to health issues and things that are going to happen in my village also, I should be informed of that,” Cocom said. “They’re just doing things there, which I get, but they have to understand that there is a chairman in charge now of the village, and they have to give him that respect.”