Is it better to pay for a hotel in Progreso instead of taking your chances against the breathalyzer?

The Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Canaco-Servytur) of this city proposes that drivers of vehicles who ingest alcoholic beverages when visiting this port pay $600 for the rental of a hotel room because, if they do not pass the breathalyzer, they will have to pay a fine of $16,000 pesos (800 USD), said the president of the group, Roberto Sánchez González.

The President of the Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Canaco-Servytur), suggests spending the night in a hotel and going home the next day if you want to avoid paying a $16,000-peso fine.

During the Easter holidays, which ran from April 9 to 24, numerous drivers were arrested at the two checkpoints with breathalyzers set up by the Municipal Police: the usual one at the exit of the city, at the end of Calle 80, and then another on Calle 74 between 39 and 41.

Sánchez González said that reports were received that during the Easter holidays, especially on Saturdays and Sundays, the Municipal Police applied high fines to people who did not pass the breathalyzer, seized their vehicle, and charged them to get it out of the “corralón” (Municipal pound) is a process that also takes several hours.

He explained that the fine that the Police impose on drivers who do not pass the breathalyzer ranges from $14,000 to $16,000, of which $2,500 is for the tow truck that takes the vehicle to the corralón, and the rest is to pay for the driving while intoxicated fine.

“The fines are heavy, very high, most of the passers-by who arrive at the port consume alcoholic beverages during their stay on the beach, their houses or restaurants when they return to Mérida, they go through the breathalyzer posts, they do not pass the test, they are detained and the vehicles are transferred to the municipal corralón, then comes the fine, which is frightening due to the high price”, emphasized the manager.

The City Council reported that the vacations yielded good results, and 1,600 tons of garbage were collected but did not specify how many drivers were detained at the ports with breathalyzer checkpoints and what they paid for the fines applied to them.

The report of the Commune also indicated that 15 missing minors were treated, five people with minor injuries in the Blue Flag modules and there was a full capacity in the 28 hotels.

During the fifteen days of the holidays, 25 people were treated with heat strokes, cut injuries, muscle contractures, and taking vital signs, in addition to six major incidents and 31 ambulance services.

The Municipal Police responded to 1,093 calls for help, 60 arrests for disturbances on public roads, 52 traffic incidents, and social work was provided to 38 visitors, the Progreso City Council stated.

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