Palmares Festival Kicks
Off Today
Exactly one week later
the Palmares Festival
kicks off at noon today
and run until February 2
in what could be
possible called the best
of the summer festivals
around the country.
Delayed by one week due
to the January 8
earthquake and national
emergency, Palmares is
perhaps also the most
attended of all the
festivals.
The Palmares celebration
includes a number of
megabars and more than
two dozen food stands,
as well as a horse
parade (tope), rides,
concerts and of course
the bull fights. Artists
incude DJ Roger Sánchez,
Kinky, Los Pericos and
Deep Dish and the
Festival Rancheo with
Ana Barbara on Saturday
31.
The festival is produced
by the Asociación Cívica
Palmareña.
This year, with the new
Ley de Tránsito under
their belt, traffic
officials will be severe
on anyone who decides do
get behind the wheel of
their vehicle after
drinking.
More than 150 Tránsito
officials, in addition
to officers of the
Fuerza Publica and Cruz
Roja (Red Cross) will be
on permanent duty in all
areas to and from
Palmares
Tránsito officials will be with breathalyzers in one hand and the law book
in the other for drunk
drivers - any driver
with a blood alcohol
reading of 0.75 or more
- who will be quickly
escorted to the nearest
jail cell.
The Tránsito offensive
will also be controlling
speeding and overloading
of vehicles, including
public transport
vehicles like buses and
taxis.
Huanelger Gutiérrez,
subdirector of the
Policía de Tránsito,
explained that permanent
check points will be set
up around the Naranjo
toll station and drivers
will be stopped at
random. However, after
10pm, all drivers will
be stopped. Other spot
checks will be set up
around the entrance to
and from Palmares to
control traffic.
Infractions like
speeding (under 150
km/h), overcrowding a
vehicle, talking on a
cellular phone while
driving, for example,
will only be subject to
a small fine under the
old regulations as the
new fines and
regulations, save for
drinking and driving,
are not in effect.
In 2007, 67 drunk
drivers were caught by
Tránsito, while the
number dropped to 38
last year, when the
driver only got to walk
home. This year Tránsito
hopes to have the number
reduce to 0, but will
have the "perreras"
(police wagons) standing
by just in case. |
