Friday, September 12, 2025

In 5 days, 233 people arrested for not wearing face mask

More than 200 people have been arrested in the resort town of Puerto Escondido in a span of just five days for not wearing face masks. 

The municipality of San Pedro Mixtepec on the Oaxaca coast began a mandatory mask program on October 16 but it doesn’t appear to be catching on with some residents, including the 233 police had arrested as of Tuesday. 

“More than about law, it is about justice, because it is not fair that we continue to spread the virus if the authorities do not do something forceful, something that really shakes up the citizens,” Mayor Fredy Gil Pineda Gopar said when he announced the measure on Friday.

Those detained by police for not wearing a mask are given the choice of serving six hours in jail, performing three hours of community service, or paying a fine of 150 pesos (US $7.12). The municipality has already collected 27,000 pesos in fines (US $1,280) from the 180 people who chose that option.

Forty-four people opted for jail time while just nine chose community service.

Among those arrested was a foreign tourist who was jailed on Saturday for not wearing a face mask after he lowered it to smoke a cigarette. The man, identified only as Derek, recounted the experience on his YouTube channel, calling it “one of the worst days of my life, pretty much. I mean it’s in the top 10 or top 15; it was pretty bad,” he said.

Mayor Gil said he was aware of the political cost he may face due to the mandate. “I am willing to assume it because we have to keep order. Someone has to face this pandemic with a strong and firm hand, and we want to be pioneers in the fight against the pandemic.”

According to Oaxaca Health Services, as of yesterday the Costa region had recorded 1,003 cases of the coronavirus and 86 deaths; San Pedro Mixtepec has seen 184 accumulated cases and Santa María Colotepec 55. 

Oaxaca as a whole has seen 20,021 accumulated cases of the coronavirus and 1,591 people have died.

Source: El Universal (sp)

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
gas tanker after explosion

Horrific gas tanker explosion in Mexico City claims 8 lives, injures 90

3
The accident occurred on a busy highway in the Iztapalapa borough of Mexico City when a gas tanker crashed and exploded, sending out huge flames that engulfed dozens of vehicles.
Navy sailors stand guard next to packages of cocaine, displayed between two navy ships

Navy seizes 1,600 kilos of cocaine off the coast of Guerrero

9
More than 48 metric tons of cocaine have now been confiscated since President Sheinbaum took office last October, authorities say.
Steering wheel of a BYD brand chinese electric car

Facing US pressure, Mexico to raise tariffs on Chinese cars to 50%

15
Mexico will increase the tariff on Chinese cars to the maximum level permitted by the World Trade Organization, Economy Minister Ebrard said Wednesday.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity