Cancún, Quintana Roo — The city’s Fiscalization Department announced it will double its inspection presence in the hotel zone during the summer high season to ensure businesses comply with alcohol sale and operating hours.
Armando Alberto Covarrubias Cortés, director of the department, said the number of inspectors in the tourist heart of the city will increase from four to eight. “We continue, we don’t stop doing it, we keep that team in the hotel zone… logically starting this month, July and August, we increase it, we send another team. Normally we have a team of four inspectors and we reinforce it with another team, making eight inspectors,” he said.
Regarding commercial activity during recent Mexican national team soccer matches, Covarrubias reported no incidents, attributing the calm to match times that align well with the city’s dynamics. “The advantage is that the games are at a very accessible time for the public… they haven’t led to any situation that would require extending hours. The operating hours, which are the main thing in bars and restaurants, have been going well,” he said.
He clarified that public celebrations in iconic spots have not resulted in violations by local businesses, as the area’s infrastructure does not lend itself to that. “One thing is that people stay celebrating and bring their own alcohol, but in the Ceviche area, in the Tajamar area, there aren’t many businesses selling closed-container alcohol,” he noted, reminding that on Sundays, closed-container sales end at 5:00 p.m., and inspections will continue for the next match.
Covarrubias confirmed that no fines or closures have been necessary so far due to general compliance with permitted extensions. He called on business owners to act calmly and legally. “We work until midnight, and after midnight the state takes over, because the alcohol law is enforced by them after midnight. From 10:00 p.m. to midnight is the period when we cannot sell closed-container alcohol; those are the extra hours. After midnight, we work jointly with the state government, as we normally do,” he specified.
