Dry Law to be enforced through the holiday weekend

San Luis R.C., Sonora— “I don’t want to give exact figures in case they are off but there could be thousands of dollars lost in alcohol consumption in restaurants, bars, cantinas and clubs due to the Ley Seca (Dry Law),” warned Juan Manuel Villarreal Morán, recently appointed president of the San Luis, Cámara Nacional de Comercio y Servicios Turísticos (National Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Services known by its acronym in Spanish CANACO-SERVYTUR).

Villarreal Morán said the enforcement of the Ley Seca, where the government prohibits the sale of beer or liquor in all commercial establishments during election day on July 5, means losses to border businesses as well as in El Golfo de Santa Clara.

He explained that once summer begins and the heat kicks, tourism to El Golfo declines due to high temperatures, but for businesses on the 4th of July is an important date because it generates business through tourism.

“On this date alone, businesses make their July and some of their August sales and that’s why this will be a critical year in case there are any losses due to the enforcement of the Ley Seca,” said Villarreal Morán.

He added that he expects that city officials will set up special business hours so that tourists can find alcoholic beverages at least in restaurants.

Tourists are expected to arrive at El Golfo de Santa Clara as of Friday, July 3, to celebrate the Independence Day, July 4 through July 5, a three-day weekend that if it weren’t for the Ley Seca businesses would benefit greatly.

Villarreal Morán explained that there is an infrastructure already to support tourism but they need to strengthen the connection with residents from Arizona and Baja California and look for federal resources to reinforce promotional programs and campaigns.

“El Golfo de Santa Clara and the San Luis Valley could be part of that because we have fishing and hunting and we must explore those options because people from the U.S. would find these activities of great interest,” he said.

In response to Villarreal Morán request that specials business hours be set up to sell alcoholic beverages at restaurants next weekend, the Subdirección Estatal de Alcoholes, State Office on Alcohol, issued a statement saying the law would be upheld.

Fernando Salazar Ortega, assistant director for the city Subdirección Estatal Alcoholes, said it was the state government through the Secretaria de Hacienda (Treasury Department) that established that the Ley Seca could not be altered or change regardless of any city request or public or private organization.

The Ley Seca is a ban on the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages at any restaurant, club, or business on patriotic holidays, said Salazar Ortega according to a press release by the general director of Bebidas Alcohólicas (Alcoholic Beverages), Rafael Lira Valenzuela.

The law is defined in Article 286 I and II of the Código Federal de Instituciones y Procedimientos Electorales (Federal Code of Electoral Institutions and Procedures), Article 245 of the State of Sonora Electoral Code, as well as Articles 30 and 31 of the Ley de Alcoholes (Alcohol Law).

The Subdirección de Alcoholes reminded businesses and recreational clubs about the Ley Seca and will make sure it is followed.