South America - Prohibition in Bogotá

If anyone is in Bogotá this weekend, be advised that there will be no liquor sales from 6pm on Friday evening to 6am on Monday morning. No bars open and very few people on the streets.

Interesting. What's going on?

Elections for a new Mayor. The previous one was de-throned and charged with embezzling public funds.

I'd like to offer an explanation why elections = prohibition but it is as baffling to me as it is to the next man

Elections for a new Mayor. The previous one was de-throned and charged with embezzling public funds.

I'd like to offer an explanation why elections = prohibition but it is as baffling to me as it is to the next man

I think it's stupid, but there are places in the US that don't allow alcohol sales on election days either. None that I know of that prohibit for a whole weekend though.

Just went through that in Argentina - nothing open w/booze from Saturday evening until Sunday 3 hours after polls closed.

Its the same in Argentina..... hard to get booze during elections....

In Perú, Ley Seca starts on Friday (at 00:00) and ends on Monday at noon. People use it as an excuse to just party at home.

Many Latin countries do this. I can think of at least 5 that I've personally witnessed.

Its the same in Argentina..... hard to get booze during elections....

I got hit twice with this in the past year - last year, census day (when everything had to close at midnight and was supposed to be completely closed the following day).

I need a better travel agent. The concierge at the place I stay is worthless with information about these events. :mad: ;)

I got hit twice with this in the past year - last year, census day (when everything had to close at midnight and was supposed to be completely closed the following day).

At least you lived through it. I was there then, and the whole day was a bit surreal.

Costa Rica used to go dry on election day, the day before, and the day after. They did away with the dry law for last year's presidential election and, lo and behold, nothing bad happened. Presidential elections always coincided with Super Bowl Sunday every four years, leading to major grumbling in the U.S. expat community about not being able to go to a bar to watch the game. That's a problem of the past now.

You still can't buy alcohol on Holy Thursday and Good Friday however.

Yes, I have lived through this seca in many Latin countries,'
the weirdest was the Bolivia National Census.
We could not go out in the street,
not even outside the hotel, for like 24 hours !

The census-person came to my room
and did an interview.
She was pretty cute, so it was the highlight of the day.:D

Yes, I have lived through this seca in many Latin countries,'
the weirdest was the Bolivia National Census.
We could not go out in the street,
not even outside the hotel, for like 24 hours !

The census-person came to my room
and did an interview.
She was pretty cute, so it was the highlight of the day.:D

That is how Argentina is supposed to be. The police were out at midnight making sure that places were closing. You weren't supposed to leave your abode the next day until the census taker came. Then, a penguin died, and all bets were off. I stayed at my place until mid-afternoon, and after no one came, decided to to walk to the locura starting to form around the Casa Rosada. A lot of smaller places were already open, and FUERZA CRISTINA graffiti was already sprayed on walls all around the area, with the spray paint no doubt, purchased from closed stores. :eek: