A Progreso resident died Thursday after drinking a lethal cocktail of antibacterial hand gel mixed with cola.
Ángel Morales, a 50-year-old parking lot attendant, had been sick for several days before he succumbed to the poisonous drink. The official cause of death was methanol poisoning, which has been increasingly common across Mexico.
He was the latest to die from drinking bootleg concoctions meant to replace the beer and liquor that has been cut off in Yucatan since April 10.
The dry law is meant to quell violence and anti-social behavior during the coronavirus lockdown. The current ban on alcohol sales is due to end at the end of the month, but two previous “ley seca” measures were renewed when their time was up.
The deceased’s brother said the man had ingested antibacterial gel for 20 days, due to the lack of commercially produced alcohol.
The lockdown ended Morales’ meager income as a so-called “viene-viene” man, family said. He had ignored their pleas not to drink the concoction, the brother said.
Two others died Wednesday and a dozen others remained hospitalized after consuming adulterated alcohol in a Chuburná Puerto restaurant.
Additionally, nine in Merida and 11 in Acanceh died after sickened by adulterated alcohol that has proliferated since the dry law.
