The house, spanning 1,900 square meters of construction, is located in a scenic beachfront area in Campeche on land that Moreno, better known as “Alito,” acquired between 2012 and 2015 while serving as a federal deputy for the PRI.
During that period, prior to assuming the governorship, Moreno acquired 13 lots totaling 7,000 square meters in Lomas del Castillo, a high-value area.
In that subdivision, the land price per square meter is 3,500 pesos, meaning Alito’s land alone is worth 24.5 million pesos.
Additionally, builders and real estate experts estimate a minimum construction cost of 12,000 pesos per square meter, making the building itself valued at approximately 22.8 million pesos.
However, according to his “3de3” asset declaration, the PRI politician claimed to have purchased the land at bargain prices, paying between 595 and 1,645 pesos per square meter—only 6 million pesos in total. Besides that property, which occupies an entire block front in the exclusive subdivision, he declared the purchase of another 39,000-square-meter plot for only 155,000 pesos.
Moreno stated that as governor, he earned 1,184,000 pesos annually, while “other unspecified activities” earned him 4,122,000 pesos. Even if he allocated 100% of his income, it wouldn’t cover the construction costs, which were completed in 2017—the same year he hosted former President Carlos Salinas de Gortari for dinner.
When questioned about it, Moreno declined to provide further details, arguing that his asset declaration is public.
Adalberto Muñoz, a notary and former president of the Civic Council of Campeche, created to expose corruption, said governors in Campeche focus, from the campaign stage, on the business ventures they will undertake.
The notary noted that governors have often prioritized securing kickbacks from public works projects. Moreno’s government announced 23 major projects in the state.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador referred to Moreno during his campaign as a “reverend thief.”
“He is a great corrupt individual, a reverend thief, dedicated to buying votes, and he lives here in a great mansion. As my countryman Chico-Che used to say: ‘Who bought it?’”
According to cadastral records, Moreno acquired lots 50 to 52 and 86 to 92, as well as lots 15, 37, 79, and 110. His residence was built on lots 86 to 90.
Combined, these lots make up nearly the entire front of a block in the exclusive subdivision, which features private security and restricted access, as confirmed by REFORMA.
Before becoming governor, Moreno lived in the Resurgimiento Residential Subdivision, near the boardwalk, in the Montecristo neighborhood, behind a Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) building.
In this lower-value subdivision, he owned a three-bedroom, three-bathroom house with 210 square meters of construction on a 228-square-meter lot, valued at up to 3.5 million pesos.
As governor in September 2015, he moved to Lomas del Castillo to a property near the site of his mansion under construction.
He added an exclusive security booth to that first house, in addition to the complex’s own security.
Once in Lomas del Castillo, “Alito” became neighbors with figures like Mario Ávila, former SEDESOL delegate under Felipe Calderón, former gubernatorial candidate in 2009 for the PAN (who lost to PRI candidate Fernando Ortega), and former deputy director of Maintenance and Logistics at Pemex, where he was accused in 2012 of favoring Oceanografía with multimillion-dollar contracts.
Moreno’s mansion was completed in early 2017. In June of that year, it became known among Campeche residents that Carlos Salinas de Gortari was invited to the new mansion for dinner. Former governor Jorge Salomón Azar also attended the feast.
When asked about the gathering, Moreno joked that his compatriots were “very gossipy.”
“You know, here in Campeche, a lot of things are said; they’re hardly ever gossipy,” he said sarcastically.
Residence Attributed to Kickbacks from Public Works
Opposition and anti-corruption activists attributed the scandalous enrichment of Governor Alejandro Moreno and other former governors to a lack of oversight and alleged kickbacks from public works.
“I cannot say why this particular scandal gained more attention (with Moreno’s mansion), but it is unjustifiable for him to have built such a mansion. There is enormous shamelessness. Campeche’s governors always worry, first and foremost, from their campaign days, about the businesses they will undertake,” said Adalberto Muñoz.
“‘Alito’ built a pedestrian bridge and altered the coastline, disrupting the continuous edge—why do they undertake these projects? Because it’s well-known that, without solid proof, politicians receive kickbacks for public works,” he added.
Yolanda Valladares Valle, moral leader of the PAN in Campeche and former state president of the party, described Moreno as a politician “well-known in the PRI inner circle, but not precisely for ethical virtues.”
“Some see it as a strength to have a governor with a reputation for being perverse, corrupt, and sly. Even faults are becoming virtues,” she lamented.
She confirmed that they called for an investigation into the mansion, but the PRI majority in the local Congress prevented it.
“Moreover, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office was created to serve this government’s interests, so filing a complaint here is like shouting into the void,” she said.
The current Anti-Corruption Prosecutor is José Paredes Echavarría, historically linked to the PRI in Campeche.
PRD Justifies Wealth
Despite being in the opposition, not all politicians are scandalized by Alejandro Moreno’s real estate acquisitions.
Víctor Alberto Améndola Avilés, state leader of the PRD, justified that “Alito” had 12 years as a legislator while acquiring the land in Lomas del Castillo.
“He served as a federal deputy twice and a senator of the Republic—12 years in parliament. For better or worse, in Mexico, a parliamentarian’s income is far above the national average,” he said in an interview.
“Second, also for better or worse, Campeche doesn’t have an official governor’s residence. But compared to what other former governors like Salomón Azar or Abelardo Carrillo own, which includes entire blocks, I don’t think (Moreno’s mansion) has the characteristics his critics claim,” Améndola said.
“Here in Campeche, it’s not an issue that scandalizes people because residents are used to governors owning big houses.”
“In Campeche, this (the mansion) is not a reason for scandal. It’s not an issue that has strongly captured attention, in my opinion, because it doesn’t offend or insult.”https://www.elnorte.com/aplicacioneslibre/preacceso/articulo/default.aspx?__rval=1&urlredirect=https://www.elnorte.com/edifica-su-mansion-no-prueba-ingresos/ar1717710?referer=–7d616165662f3a3a6262623b727a7a7279703b767a783a–
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