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The upcoming presidential referendum elections in Mexico have been marred in controversy from the start. The legitimacy of the election has been questioned time and time again. One of the topics that was on the table was whether or not the sale of alcohol would be permitted during the election weekend. It’s customary in Mexico to ban the sale of alcohol during election weekends. Of course, this comes with a bit of a twist. In the case of Los Cabos the sale of alcohol within restaurants, and bars that are near the hotel zone is still going to be permitted. What then does this ban entail then?
As things stand in most parts of the country, the sale of alcohol is going to be banned both Saturday April 9, and Sunday April 10. In Los Cabos talks between municipal authorities are still taking place to set the right guidelines for the ban. To put it bluntly, local authorities are trying to find a way to comply with the federal law. While still making sure that this decree does not affect sales in local businesses.
Where Alcohol Is Going To Be Sold & Where It May Be Banned
Samuel Cisneros Peruyero director of fiscal inspection spoke to the media after attending a meeting with other local authorities in which the particulars of the ban were discussed. At this time there are two clear compromises that were reached in the meeting.
Number one is that Los Cabos is going to comply with the Federal decree. This means that the sale of alcohol within supermarkets and convenience stores is set to be banned at some point within the 9th, and 10th of April. The other element that was made clear was the one we previously mentioned. Restaurants, and bars within the hotel zone are going to be exempt from this ban.
In practice though, that could mean that bars, and restaurants in spots like the city center will have to comply with the ban. From what Samuel Cisneros mentioned to the media, it’s looking like the ban won’t necessarily be heavily policed. Also, they are looking to find ways to reduce the number of hours in which the sale of alcohol in convenience stores will be prohibited. Cisneros Peruyero had this to say after attending a meeting with the local secretary general, and the municipal syndicate,
“Since this event is a federal democratic exercise we want to facilitate people’s ability to participate. While at the same time making sure that everything happens in a safe manner. That’s why we’ve decided to impose a ban on the sale of beer, and liquor in Los Cabos. To try and minimize negative effects on local commerce, it’s been agreed that people will be able to consume alcoholic beverages within certain points of sale around centric areas”
The Hours That The Ban Will Last Are Still Up For Debate
It’s clear that the ban will take place starting Saturday April 9th at some point. Culminating on the 10th. The actual start and end times though, are still up in the air. Director Sinceros mentioned that meetings will continue to be held between local officials to determine exactly what that time frame is going to look like. As we’ve pointed out, there’s also not a ton of clarity as far as which establishments will be able to sell alcohol, and which won’t.
Alcohol consumption within beaches for example isn’t explicitly banned either. It’s just that tourists that want to head to the beach, and knock down a few beers will have to purchase them in advance. Overall, it could be a good idea for tourists to keep in mind that alcohol might not be as readily available this weekend as it typically is in Los Cabos.