A Mexicali City Council member was criticized after being found public benefit funds were given to relatives of his advisors.

Institutional Revolutionary Party counsel Joel Blas Ramos said family members of two consultants of Councilman José Ramón López, of Morena, were given close to 100,000 pesos or $5,000 in public benefit.

By law every council member is given city public benefit funds that are supposed to be given out to constituents.

Councilman consultants, Keyla Karina Cabrera Peñuelas and Fernando Peña Guevara, earn about $2,000 per month.

The funds were disbursed to consultant relatives like sisters, husband, father and a mother-in-law.

Counsel Blas Ramos said several crimes could have been incurred by providing these funds including abuse of authority, illicit use of funds and others.

The attorney filed a complaint with the City Comptroller’s office and plans to move forward with additional complaints with the state and Mexican Attorney General’s offices. Also, the party expects to introduce a resolution to impeach the city council member.

Councilman López said the issue is a political one.

“The only party members that still stay in that old building (in reference to the Institutional Revolutionary Party state headquarters) full of roaches are the ones who were at the press conference,” the councilman said.

López added that city regulations or ordinances do not forbid consultant relatives from obtaining public benefit funds.

The council member said the authorities must investigate whatever that requires an investigation.