Sunday’s elections mean that the sale of alcoholic beverages will be prohibited from the first minute of Saturday, June 6, to the last minute of Sunday, June 7.
As required under Article 42 of Jalisco’s Law on the Sale and Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages, the 48-hour ban applies statewide to all liquor stores, supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, bars, restaurants and casinos that sell booze by the bottle or in poured drinks.
Businesses caught violating the statute may be penalized with stiff fines ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 pesos and even the definitive revocation of their liquor licenses.
Jesus Lomeli Rosas, general secretary of Guadalajara City Hall, this week reminded citizens of the law’s scope.
“Even at private events people are expected and obliged to comply with the law,” he said.
Lomeli added that bars, shops and casinos in the metropolitan area would be monitored by inspectors to ensure they comply with the regulation.
In the course of this week Chapala’s Department of Regulations, Inspection and Vigilance delivered written notifications on the dry law rule to approximately 800 local establishments that are authorized for liquor sales.
The purpose of the law, which dates back to 1915, is to ensure that elections are held with the maximum degree of security and decorum. This law used to be enforced at a national level, but since 2007 it is left to the authorities of each state to determine whether or not they will apply it.
Some states, such as Jalisco, restrict the sale of alcoholic beverages for the full 48 hours, while others limit the prohibition to 24 hours. Determined drinkers in Jalisco will either have to stock up in advance or catch a flight to Baja California, the only state that does not apply the law.
The sale of alcohol in Jalisco will resume on Monday. The election does not prevent most businesses from opening.