The Government of Nayarit, in coordination with the Attorney General's Office of the Republic (FGR) and the Attorney General's Office of the State, recovered 9.6 million square meters of land in Riviera Nayarit, valued at approximately 50 billion pesos, in what authorities described as a historic action for asset recovery and unprecedented inter-institutional cooperation in the country.
The operation, named the Mega Operation Nuevo Nayarit, reversed more than two decades of fraudulent operations and legal simulations that harmed the state's patrimony.
The lands will be transferred to the Fondo Soberano Nuevo Nayarit, a mixed-economy model that will transform the recovered assets into investment capital for social infrastructure and the strengthening of the state pension fund.
"As never in the history of Mexico, today we recover what belongs to the people of Nayarit," stated FGR Special Prosecutor Cristina Reséndiz Durán. She informed that the case involved crimes of operations with resources of illicit origin, influence trafficking, violations of the Amparo Law, and crimes against the administration of justice, with the support of the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) and the Tax Administration Service (SAT).
The actions included searches, seizures, and financial expert reports, as well as the prosecution of former officials and the issuance of arrest warrants, including one with a red notice from Interpol against a former governor.
The Attorney General of Nayarit, Petronilo Díaz Ponce Medrano, specified that the joint investigation with the FGR reached "an unprecedented depth," with 200 volumes and over 100,000 pages of evidence, as well as the seizure of 359 bank accounts for more than 7.2 billion pesos.
"Alterations were detected in registry books and official documents that confirmed a carefully planned scheme to strip the State. It is a model of shared prosperity that guarantees that the benefits stay with the people," emphasized Camarena.
Currently, the fund is developing four investment projects in Nuevo Nayarit, Sayulita, Lo de Marcos, and El Playón, focused on sustainable tourism and local job generation.
The authorities agreed that the operation sets a precedent for the recovery of public assets and inter-institutional cooperation between governments and prosecutors.
Governor Miguel Ángel Navarro Quintero highlighted that the new model will strengthen the state's finances, increase revenue—which went from 250 million to over 3.4 billion pesos annually—and guarantee responsible management of the patrimony.
"What was once corruption and abandonment today becomes a future for the people of Nayarit," concluded the governor.
"This case demonstrates how technique and institutional will can transform justice into tangible results," he affirmed.
Social Investment Model and National Precedent
Likewise, the recovered lands will be integrated into the Fondo Soberano Nuevo Nayarit, which will allocate 51% of its returns to social infrastructure—schools, hospitals, roads, and security—and 49% to the workers' savings fund.
The model, shielded by constitutional reforms, prevents the sale of state assets and guarantees its professional management under transparency criteria.
"Nayarit will no longer sell land, it will be a partner in investment. Knowledge was needed, but also courage and decision," declared Governor Miguel Ángel Navarro Quintero during the presentation of the operation at the FGR headquarters in Mexico City.
Irregularities detected since 2022
The investigation began in February 2022, following a complaint from the Bahía de Banderas Trust (FIBA), which reported irregular sales and simulated legal acts between 2005 and 2021.
According to the legal coordinator of the Government of Nayarit, Gabriel Camarena Morales, unauthorized sales operations by the technical committee, altered deeds, and prices of up to 50 pesos per square meter by the sea were detected.
"For years, public assets were handled as if they were private. What was once corruption and abandonment today becomes a future for the people of Nayarit."
