A total of 12 municipalities will apply Prohibition in Holy Week, according to a report by the National Union of Local Governments (UNGL), after a survey with its associates. On the other hand, 65 other municipalities will not prohibit alcohol sales, and four have not yet made a decision.
The municipalities that have not yet decided could do so in the next sessions on Friday, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
Prohibiting the sale of liquor in the cantons is an exclusive power of the Municipal Councils, established by Article 26 of the Law on Regulation and Marketing of Beverages with Alcoholic Content.
The ruling states that they can
regulate the commercialization of alcoholic beverages and liquor consumption, the days of civic events, parades or other cantonal activities, on the assigned route, and may delimit the radius of action.”
If the Municipal Councils does not take an express agreement and it is not defined in the Regulation to Law 9047, the Prohibition Law will not be applied.
According to the UNGL, last year 21 cantons applied the prohibition.
The Liquor Law establishes sanctions such as the closure of the business and a fine of one to 10 base salaries if they fail to comply with the measure.
These are the 12 cantons with Ley Seca this year:
• Puriscal
• Alajuelita
• Cartago (only on Friday)
• La Unión
• Turrialba
• Alvarado
• El Guarco
• Heredia
• San Isidro
• Flores
• Cañas
• Esparza