390 Businesses Closed in Cancún This Year, Find Out Why

Since the start of this year, the Inspection Department of the Benito Juárez municipality has conducted approximately 7,500 business reviews. As a result, nearly 390 establishments have been shut down for a variety of reasons, primarily due to outdated operating licenses. Gustavo Fernández Hernández, the Director of Inspection, stated that about 80 percent of the reviewed businesses were in compliance with their operating licenses. The remaining businesses faced various penalties, including fines ranging from 5 to 2,500 Units of Measure and Update (UMA), and closures until they resolved their issues.

The law stipulates a range of fines based on the specific circumstances of each establishment. Factors such as the economic condition, intent, and severity of the violation are taken into account when determining the appropriate penalty. "So far this year, we have imposed around 9 million pesos in fines," Hernández said.

Among the nearly 600 penalized businesses, some failed to pay for the right to sell alcohol outside of regular hours. These businesses continued to operate outside of the standard schedule, which runs until 11:00 PM from Monday to Saturday, and until 5:00 PM on Sundays. Generally, businesses that sell alcohol tend to maintain special permits throughout the year. This applies to businesses where alcohol is consumed on-site, such as restaurants and bars, as well as off-site consumption locations like liquor stores, supermarkets, and self-service stores. Although there is usually no increase in requests for extended hours during the summer holiday season, more businesses seek to extend their hours in September for national holidays and in December for year-end celebrations.

Hernández also mentioned that around 60 parking lots have been inspected, resulting in fines totaling approximately 300,000 pesos. However, there have been no further closures similar to the one at Plaza Las Américas.