Cancun mayor orders all bars, clubs, theaters, casinos closed

Cancun, Q.R. — Cancun’s mayor María Lezama Espinosa announced that her administration has ordered the closing of cinemas, bars, discos and casinos effective immediately, as part of the measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The move was made with officials saying the advance of the pandemic requires taking stricter measures, understanding that people’s health and life take precedence over economic value.

Lezama Espinosa announced that supermarkets, pharmacies and hospitals will be asked to establish meter-and-a-half distances between their clients. She says city hall meetings will be held behind closed doors and will broadcast news on both the Internet and by radio.

She added that as of Thursday, in-person tax payments will be suspended without any consequence to the tax payer, noting that it is vital to prevent the spread of the virus, for which it is necessary to respect the provisions of the federal, state and municipal governments.

“We cannot allow the virus to spread, we must put up barriers, which is why we are working with all sectors, hoteliers, restaurateurs, shopping malls, street vendors. We have to act based on a strategy and in an orderly manner,” she explained.

“Everyone agrees we need to take whatever actions need to be taken. You have to establish social isolation and there are businesses that will have to close,” she added. “It is not about creating panic, but it is a global pandemic…and we are living it. The most important thing is health, hence preventive measures must be applied.”

In light of the announcement by Cancun’s mayor, the Ministry of Health clarified that a letter circulating across social media claiming the restrictions apply to the state is completely false.

The agency says that the letter, which is allegedly from Cofepris announcing the closure of bars, nightclubs and casinos throughout the state, is apocryphal. The fake news has been spread across WhatsApp and Facebook.

As of today, these new restrictions apply only to the municipality of Benito Juárez.

Source: The Riviera Maya Times