A press release issued this Saturday, November 6 by the National Police indicating that various recreational establishments “will work normally” during this weekend in which the voting will take place, has caused confusion among the population and owners of bars, restaurants and shops. of convenience that They are prohibited from selling alcohol from 2:00 pm this Saturday, according to the same Police announced this Wednesday, November 3.
CONFIDENTIAL confirmed that some establishments, covered by the most recent press release signed by Police Director Francisco Díaz, continue to sell alcoholic beverages, while other restaurants consulted considered that the most recent information published by the Police does not explicitly authorize that the businesses can sell alcohol and, therefore, continue to serve their customers, but only offering non-alcoholic beverages and food.
Police reported through communiqué 02 – 2021, on November 3, the limitations and prohibitions for the voting this Sunday, November 7, beginning at 6:00 pm on Friday, November 5 and concluding, in some cases, five days later.
“All tourist, recreational, sports, commercial service establishments, cafeterias, restaurants and meeting and leisure places will work and function normally, as corresponds to a country that fully enjoys all its citizens’ rights,” the note reads press 315-2021 issued by the Police this Saturday.
Here’s the note:
In a statement on Wednesday, November 3, it is read that, among the prohibitions, the sale of alcoholic beverages is included -be it in supermarkets, grocery stores, bars, convenience stores, liquor stores, entertainment centers, restaurants and the like. The measure would be in effect from 2:00 pm on Saturday, November 6 until 6:00 am on Tuesday, November 9.
Anticipating this restriction of “Prohibition”, some bars closed this weekend and communicated it through their social networks. However, other businesses, such as the AMPM convenience store, published based on the police press release that they would normally attend to “the sale of all their products and services.”
Although in this press release the Police does not speak of reversing or suspending the ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages, in practice, some bars continued to sell them without inconvenience. If the situation remains the same this Sunday, November 7, would represent a violation of article 12 of the Electoral Law, which in subsection 2 prohibits “the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages” on voting day.
The confusion over the Police press release occurs in the midst of an electoral process questioned at the local and international level due to the lack of minimum democratic guarantees, without electoral competition, under the police state, without observation and with an Electoral Council under control. absolute of President Daniel Ortega who, together with his wife and Vice President Rosario Murillo, seek to perpetuate his regime.
Other prohibitions
The Police also determined other prohibitions, such as the one that came into effect from eight in the morning on Saturday, which prevents circulation in the vicinity of the so-called ‘Computer Centers’, both at the national level, located at the headquarters of the Supreme Council Electoral in Metrocentro, as well as at the departmental and municipal level.
Nor can you carry firearms, sharps and ammunition for a full week (from 6:00 pm on Friday 5 to the same time on Friday 12 November). The authorities of the National Police, the Nicaraguan Army and the National Penitentiary System, in the exercise of their functions, are excepted from this prohibition.
Likewise, it is prohibited to move, transport, distribute and manipulate toxic and explosive chemical substances, whether industrial or artisanal, from 6:00 pm on Saturday until noon on Tuesday, November 9, except for fuels and cooking gas, provided that do “duly authorized companies and persons.”
