No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsBusinessNo, San José police won't enforce the 'dry law' during presidential elections...

No, San José police won’t enforce the ‘dry law’ during presidential elections (and the Super Bowl)

 At the beginning of 2012, Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly reformed a “dry law” that prevented liquor sales during Easter Holy Week and elections. The move allowed individual municipalities to choose if they wanted to enforce the law.

San José and 12 other cantons have  a dry law on the books that would prevent liquor sales during upcoming presidential and legislative elections on Feb. 2, the National Union of Local Governments declared Thursday afternoon. However, San José authorities told CRHoy that the law is tedious and appears unnecessary. 

“We believe that the country has sufficient maturity to carry out an electoral process and civic festivities without the need to stop commercial activities. After the elections we will consider if we need to make reforms to the rules,” Municipal Police Chief [Marcelo Solano] said.

Solano added that the process of closing down all the bars is costly. Authorities must put notices on all premises that sell liquor, and last time the ordeal cost ₡6 million ($12,000).

The San José law actually states that the dry law would be in effect on the days before and after the election, but not Election Day itself. Solano said it’d be absurd to be closing, reopening and closing again local businesses around election time.

Municipalities that the National Union of Local Governments said will enforce the dry law are Alajuelita, Cartago, Peñas Blancas, San Ramón, Aserrí, Dota, Poás, Corredores, Guácimo, San Ramón, Atenas, Upala and Los Chiles.

Escazú is among the 12 municipalities that has announced it will NOT enforce a dry law. The other municipalities that have stated they won’t apply the law are Desamparados,Tibás, León Cortes, Turrialba, La Cruz, Talamanca, Golfito, Garabito, Parrita, Buenos Aires, Naranjo and now, San José.

Other cantons remain undecided on the issue.

Conceivably, this will have the biggest effect on Gringos who live in dry law municipalities. In those cities, U.S. expats, the majority of whom aren’t enfranchised to vote, won’t be able to drink beer while watching the biggest U.S. sporting event of the year. Because Feb. 2 is, of course also, Super Bowl Sunday.

 

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Massive Drug Raid Targets Cocaine Network to Europe

Costa Rican authorities struck a major blow against international drug trafficking dismantling a criminal network that smuggled over five tons of cocaine to Europe....

Canada’s Porter Airlines to Launch Direct Costa Rica Flights

Porter Airlines is gearing up to connect Canada with Costa Rica, following approval from the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to operate direct international flights....

Costa Rica’s Investment Appeal Fades Amid Social and Environmental Challenges

Costa Rica’s reputation as a prime destination for foreign investment is under threat, according to a new study from the University of Costa Rica...

U.S. Warns Americans to Avoid Nicaragua Amid Authoritarian Risks

The U.S. State Department is urging Americans to skip travel to Nicaragua due to increasing authoritarianism that puts tourists at risk. The Level...

Panama Police Clash with Protesters Over Pension Reform Near Costa Rica Border

Police and protesters clashed in Panama on Saturday during an operation to clear a highway near the Costa Rican border, where teachers and Indigenous...

The Hidden Costs of Living in Costa Rica: Tariffs, Monopolies, and More

‘Tariffs’ is one of the buzzwords of 2025. Defined as taxes imposed by one country on goods imported from another country, tariffs are essentially...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica