The Chapala municipal government’s legal eagles took steps this week to protect Mayor Moisés Anaya and members of the city council from going to jail for the non-payment of a lawsuit brought by Led Lumina, a private company contracted in 2012 to install the municipality’s street lighting system.
The outfit successfully sued the city in 2015 for defaulting on the payment of monthly service fees.
The presiding court originally ordered monetary compensation of 25 million pesos. The amount has soared to more than 100 million pesos after city hall lost subsequent appeals and failed to meet the initial payoff obligation, along with accrued interest and penalties.
With the clock running out for the current administration to arrange a settlement with Led Lumina, the government’s legal representatives have filed for an amparo (injunction) to keep state authorities from executing an order for the 36-hour administrative arrest of the entire body of elected officials.