- Some Countries Prohibit Alcohol Sales During Elections and Religious Holidays
Did you know that some countries impose an alcohol ban during certain time of the year. Such as elections and religious observances. That means that no alcohol can legally be purchased by locals or tourists. Restaurants are not allowed to serve alcohol and if you are caught buying or consuming wine, beer or spirts illegally, it might be big trouble.
In Latin American countries, the ban is known as “Ley Seca” or “leyes secas” and they are strictly enforced. Depending on the election the alcohol ban can be in place for up to 48 hours before and 12 hours after election day. Which can turn into a large portion of your getaway and have a huge impact on your travel plans.
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela each have their own versions of a ley seca, prohibiting the sale and public consumption of alcohol before, during, and after elections.
Elections: Countries that still impose this law want their citizen’s to be level headed and no impaired when the head to the polls and make decisions as to who will run their government.
Religious Observances: We understand why the ban would take place in these countries, so make sure that you check you calendar before booking that trip, especially to Muslim countries. Remember the alcohol ban during the world cup in Qatar at the stadium. Although the ban wasn’t previously announced, it was totally at the discretion of the Islamic country to make that decision at the last minute. So just be prepared and flexible and do your research.
In summary, there are many places that cultural norms may not be in line with what is familiar to us. We cannot stress enough how important it is to do your research before traveling so you are not disappointed during the trip. Imagine planning a special birthday celebration with a group a friends to your dream destination only to find out after arrival that your celebration cannot include champagne.
Know before you go.