Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – The municipal government of Puerto Vallarta announced 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.
The State of Jalisco has left it up to the municipal governments to decide whether or not to enforce prohibition and in Puerto Vallarta the local government has decided to give the reactivation of tourism priority.
On Wednesday, the Director of Inspection and Regulations of Puerto Vallarta, Jose Juan Velazquez Hernandez, reported that there will be no Prohibition in this municipality, saying that the City Council is prioritizing
the economic reactivation process since, “there is no risk of violence or insecurity for the population around this electoral contest.”
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 or two, regardless of the election.
The Secretary General of the City Council, Francisco Vallejo Corona, elaborated, explaining that all establishments selling alcoholic beverages will be permitted to operate in a normal manner, and called on the public not to make panic purchases at convenience stores or other establishments.
Vallejo Corona also called for responsible consumption by citizens and reminded them to avoid excesses that could disturb the peace or affect the outcome of Sunday’s elections.
He indicated that the Directorate of Inspection and Regulations, as well as the Citizen Security Commission, will be attentive and vigilant that no acts that violate the municipality’s laws and regulations are incurred.
