The Department of Culture did a great job honoring the souls of the dead with offerings, catrinas (elegantly dressed female skeletons), alebríjes (fantastical folk art pieces), and photographs. The displays enthralled visitors, but this weekend could result in a rebound in COVID cases because sanitary measures were neglected.

The public was keen to see the alebríjes exhibition, that will remain on Paseo de los Conspiradores until February, to walk the route of offerings, to see the giant catrinas, and tour the Historic Center decorated with colorful tissue paper cutouts suspended over the streets. Yet, precisely on Nov. 2, Director of Sanitary Jurisdiction II Jorge Vidargas and Mayor Luis Alberto Villarreal declared that if we did not take care of ourselves, we could return to confinement, and that “would be disastrous.”

The announcement was made after a meeting between Villareal and Vidargas. Villarreal stated that with the economic reopening of the city, San Miguel residents have been less attentive to sanitary measures, such as hand washing, safe distancing, and especially the use of face masks. They called on the public to be responsible and thus avoid a new period of confinement. They noted that those infected with COVID are mostly workers, students, and young people.

The administration has been harshly criticized by the citizens for its recommendations, which they consider contradictory: on the one hand the cemeteries remained closed, yet restaurants and bars remained open. The administration was also criticized for canceling private parties, but allowing alcohol sales to continue.