Cancun Revives Breathalyzer Tests During Holy Week

The municipal president has announced that breathalyzer tests will be reintroduced in Cancun starting from the Holy Week holiday.

Municipal President Ana Patricia Peralta de la Peña has declared that the "Breathalyzer Operation" will be reinstated in Cancun during the Holy Week 2025 holiday. In a recent interview with multiple media outlets, she discussed a variety of topics, including the reintroduction of the Breathalyzer Operation during Holy Week. Initially, offenders will not be subjected to monetary fines. Instead, they will be penalized with community service and potential detention at the Social Retention Center, commonly known as El Torito.

Peralta de la Peña explained that the proposed reform will allow the Municipality to establish specific blood or breath alcohol levels to determine the type of punishment. For instance, if the breath alcohol limit for drivers is set at 0.25, a monetary penalty may be imposed at a level of 0.10. In this case, the driver would be detained on the spot until it is deemed safe for them to drive, and they would be able to pay their fine on the spot.

However, if a driver exceeds the limit, they would be immediately arrested and taken to El Torito. Their vehicle would also be impounded, with no option to alter the penalty. The municipal president emphasized that this is still a proposal and may not be approved before the start of the Holy Week holiday season.