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The Municipality of Lanco has been ordered by the courts to pay more than 14 million pesos in compensation to a former employee who claimed she was fired after refusing to participate in the reelection campaign of Socialist Mayor Juan Rocha. The plaintiff, whose employment ended after being notified in November 2024 that her contract would not be renewed, filed a labor protection lawsuit alleging retaliation for her refusal to engage in political activities.
According to the plaintiff, there was an internal culture where various municipal department heads pressured staff to actively join the mayor’s campaign efforts. The worker maintained that this refusal was the catalyst for her dismissal—a claim partially supported by the court’s analysis of the working conditions she faced while employed by the municipality.
The court ruling also determined that the former employee suffered mental health issues stemming from an excessive workload, a finding validated by the tribunal in its decision. The proceedings established that this workload was a determining factor in the deterioration of the woman’s psychological health, as she struggled with anxiety and depression while serving the local government.
For its part, the municipal administration has categorically denied that the dismissal was politically motivated. Thomas Cruz, legal advisor to the Municipality of Lanco, maintained that the decision was based solely on the discretionary authority of the department head. "This is not a situation involving political motives, and in that sense, that was ruled out by the initial court decision. This is instead a matter of the discretionary power of the head of the service," Cruz stated when asked about the case.
The municipality has unsuccessfully attempted to overturn the ruling through various legal channels. An appeal for nullification filed by the entity was rejected by the Court of Appeals, while the Supreme Court declared a subsequent legal action filed by the municipality inadmissible.
In light of this, legal advisor Thomas Cruz confirmed that the municipality still intends to exhaust all available procedural options. "The deadline to file a motion for reconsideration against the resolution declaring it inadmissible is still pending. A further review regarding the admissibility of the unification appeal is also still pending," the legal representative noted, insisting that the institution maintains its stance on the legality of the dismissal.
