Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - According to Ricardo Ortiz Fernández, the general director of the National Chamber of Restaurants and Food Condiments Industry (Canirac) in this city, it is almost certain that Mexico's Ley Seca (dry law) will NOT be enforced in Puerto Vallarta this weekend.

Under la 'Ley Seca,' the sale of all types of alcoholic beverages is prohibited in the 48 hours surrounding the elections (24 hours before elections, and throughout the day on election day.) The purpose of the law is to ensure that elections are held with the maximum degree of decorum.

This law used to be enforced at a national level, but since 2007 it has been left up to the authorities of each state to determine whether or not it will be applied.

Some states restrict the sale of alcoholic beverages for the full 48 hours, some for just 24 hours, and some, mostly in areas where tourism is an important economic factor, do not apply the law at all.

In Jalisco, the dry law will not be imposed before or during the elections on July 1, as confirmed by the Secretary General of the State Government, Roberto López Lara. Instead, Jalisco has left it up to the municipal governments to decide whether or not to enforce prohibition.

In a June 26 telephone interview with Vallarta Independiente reporter Javier Frias, Ortiz Fernández said that although it is still necessary for the municipality to ratify the decree that will allow establishments that sell alcohol to operate normally, he was 97% confident that there will be no restrictions in Puerto Vallarta this weekend.

He stressed that imposing the law in Puerto Vallarta would be detrimental to tourism, as the tourists who come to this beach destination come to rest and relax, which means being able to enjoy an alcoholic beverage along with their food, regardless of the election.

The Municipal Government is expected to issue its decision on whether or not there will be prohibition in Puerto Vallarta by Friday.