The Los Cabos city council unanimously approved Francisco Cota Márquez as the new director of Municipal Civil Protection and Risk Management on Monday, April 6. The vote took place during the council’s 20th Ordinary Public Session at the municipal seat in San José del Cabo.
Samuel Lozano Sotres was also confirmed as the new director of the municipal Legal, Legislative, and Regulatory Affairs department during the same session. Both appointments passed without opposition from the council members serving under Mayor Christian Agúndez Gómez, who leads the XV Ayuntamiento (city government) for the 2024 to 2027 term.
Civil Protection Role Carries Weight Before Hurricane Season
The Civil Protection director oversees emergency response, hurricane preparedness, and disaster risk management across the municipality’s 3,750 square kilometers. Los Cabos, home to roughly 351,000 residents, sits at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula and faces direct exposure to Pacific hurricanes each season from June through November.
Cota Márquez takes the post roughly two months before the 2026 hurricane season begins. The Civil Protection office coordinates evacuations, issues weather alerts, and manages shelter operations during tropical storms. It also monitors flood zones in low-lying areas around Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, both of which have seen significant damage from past hurricanes.
Council Also Extended Business License Deadlines
Beyond the two appointments, the council approved an extension for business license renewal payments. Owners of commercial establishments and alcohol sales permits now have until April 30, 2026, to complete their annual renewal fees for the current fiscal year.
The session also included approval of a payment agreement related to the donation area of the “Nahará Cabo” development in Cabo San Lucas. Those funds will go toward the first phase of construction for new Public Services offices in San José del Cabo.
Los Cabos is one of five municipalities in Baja California Sur. Its economy depends heavily on tourism, with millions of visitors arriving each year at San José del Cabo International Airport. The story was first reported by Noticias La Paz and confirmed by La Pólaca BCS.