Mérida, Yucatán — In time for holiday revelry, police are setting up 34 check points inside the city and its surroundings.
A preliminary plan to crack down on holiday drunk driving has three to six police check points on the Periferico and eight along the Paseo de Montejo, the Prolongacion de Montejo and Circuito Colonias; and at Altabrisa and City Center.
On the eastern side of town, there will be between two and four check points, while three will monitor the southern sector and five in the west, including two in Ciudad Caucel.
Four check points in the north will include fracc. Las Americas.
The road blocks will be most active tonight and New Year’s Eve, but will be conducted off and on through Jan. 1.
Sanctions
The penalty for being arrested at check points and failing a breathalyzer test is 90 days of minimum wage, about 6,570 pesos, but towing, fines if you resist, attorney fees, court fees and the like could add up to a minimum of 20,000 pesos
Punishment isn’t just financial. DUI convictions usually result in a minimum 24-hour stay in jail unless you are unlucky enough to get caught on a Friday night, in which case you can cool your heels until Monday.
