CULTURE DEPARTURE
Jalisco Culture Secretary Giovana Jaspersen has resigned her position for “personal reasons.” She will be replaced by Susana Chávez Brandon, the current director of the Instituto Cultural Cabañas.
Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro said further changes to his cabinet can be expected next week.
SORIANA TESTING
The Soriana supermarket chain has started Covid-19 testing at two outlets in Mexico City, and hopes to soon expand the service nationwide. Mobile testing booths have been installed in the parking lots of the branches of its Pilares and Mixcoac stores in the capital. Three kinds of tests are available: PCR (costing 2,990 pesos), serological or antibody (489 pesos) and antigen (489 pesos). The tests are carried out by Cofepris-certified laboratories, and results of the antibody and antigen tests are delivered within 30 minutes via email. Soriana operates 780 stores throughout Mexico.
PILGRIMS NOT WELCOME
This year’s festival of the Virgen de la Candelaria, celebrated each February 2 in San Juan de los Lagos (250 kilometers northeast of Guadalajara), will be a virtual affair. Normally, 45 to 60 columns of believers, representing scores of municipalities from as many as 21 states, compose a National Caravan of Faith, Mexico’s largest pilgrimage on foot. The neighboring state of Guanajuato has prohibited the passage of pilgrims this year. The San Juan de los Lagos Basilica will close from January 31 to February 2.