Confusion reigns as a last-minute announcement over additional holiday restrictions hits Bogotá.
Update (8pm): Just hours after we published this story, the mayor’s office changed the rules again.
- Ley Seca will now start at 11.59 pm tomorrow (December 23)
- Ley Seca does not apply to alcohol ordered by domicilio (any form of delivery)
- Pico y cédula will no longer apply to restaurants and hotels
Bogotá mayor Claudia López has just announced further holiday restrictions. Starting at midnight tonight (December 22), all partying in public space will be banned until midnight on December 27. The same measures will return at midnight on the 30th until midnight on January 3. Along with this, there’s a complete ban on the sale of alcohol as well as its consumption in public.
This comes on top of the augmented restrictions on opening times, the use of fireworks and of course pico y cédula which will be with us until mid-January. Various members of The Bogotá Post team have been out and about since the announcement. Most report that pico y cédula is being half-heartedly applied this time – so far at least. Only time will tell how effective these measures will be – like many countries, Colombia likes to have fun at Christmas. After a rough year, it’s likely people will push the boundaries of these regulations.
López reiterated the rules governing indoor gatherings too, such as wearing masks, a limit of ten people (all family members) and no excess of alcohol. It seems extraordinarily unlikely that this will be enforced in any serious way, but ‘fiestas’ are banned in private places as well as public. It’s likely that this will only be properly policed for all-night raves though, not family gatherings or barn dances.
With the new rules being announced so suddenly, it would be wise to plan for the possibility of further changes. Just because something has been ruled out doesn’t mean it’s not possible – ley seca was discounted by the mayor as recently as this weekend before today’s U-turn. Check our website for the latest.
