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The Puerto Vallarta Municipal Government announced the appointment of Alfredo Soria Soto as the new head of the Municipal Council for AIDS Prevention (COMUSIDA), with a commitment to strengthen institutional coordination, citizen participation, and strategies for the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) within the municipality.
The appointment comes days after the Puerto Vallarta government announced Carlos Plascencia as the new Head of the Office of Sexual Diversity. Both Soria Soto and Plascencia have been part of the organizing committee for the Gay Pride Vallarta, and they now assume public office positions.
Alfredo Soria Soto is an industrial engineer with a background in community health, operational management, and inter-institutional collaboration. He previously served as the General Director of Círculo Rojo (Red Circle), the largest community health campaign ever conducted in Puerto Vallarta. This campaign successfully performed over 700 rapid tests, administered 400 vaccines, and involved the participation of 29 institutions and community organizations in a single day.
Soria Soto was also a member of the Inter-Institutional Committee for HIV and STI Prevention, where he promoted key initiatives, including:
- Establishing institutional linking protocols among health agencies.
- Developing the municipal prevention microsite.
- Coordinating massive detection and vaccination events.
Soria is also an active member of the Red Diversidad Vallarta (Vallarta Diversity Network), a coalition of local organizations and collectives dedicated to LGBTIQ+ equality and rights. According to the official announcement, his appointment represents a significant step toward consolidating a more accessible, inclusive, and human rights-based model of care, with a strong emphasis on:
- Comprehensive HIV and STI prevention, incorporating a gender and diversity perspective.
- Effective collaboration with state and federal health institutions.
- Strengthening sexual education, early detection, and community support services.
- Engaging civil society organizations in the planning and evaluation of local public policies.
In his new role, Soria Soto emphasized the importance of continuing to work jointly with civil society, the health sector, and the community. He stressed that prevention and access to health “must be a guaranteed right, not a privilege.”
First Statements
In an interview with Out & About PV Magazine, Soria expressed how deeply honored and grateful he is for the trust that Mayor Luis Munguía and Doctor Miguel Ángel Suárez have placed in him.
“I am excited to begin this new chapter and to work with everyone to make COMUSIDA a benchmark in prevention and detection. I commit to working with passion and dedication to continue advancing HIV prevention and health promotion in coordination with institutions, collectives, associations, and activists so that we can align Puerto Vallarta with the international objectives set by UNAIDS. We are going to deliver measurable results; that will be my commitment,” he said.
Alfredo concluded by also thanking councilwoman Melissa Madero, Víctor Espíndola, and Luis Tello, as they have been instrumental in strongly supporting him on this institutional journey.
Councilwoman Melissa Madero, for her part, publicly congratulated Soria through her social media channels, where she expressed her enthusiasm for this appointment: “I celebrate this appointment, which reflects a strong commitment to human rights, health as a right, and citizen participation as a motor for change.Congratulations, Alfredo! I am certain that, under your leadership, Puerto Vallarta will continue to be an example of community, empathy, and teamwork for the well-being of all.'”
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