By Fabiola Arámburo
MEXICO CITY, June 23 (Reuters) – Mexico City will ban alcohol sales in some of its busiest neighbourhoods during Wednesday’s Mexico-Czech Republic World Cup match, after celebrations last week led to public drinking and litter along the capital’s main avenue.
The suspension will run from 3 p.m. local time on Wednesday to 7 a.m. on Thursday, overlapping with the game, which kicks off at Mexico City Stadium at 7 p.m.
The measure exempts bars and restaurants, but will apply to convenience stores, grocery stores and supermarkets in the historic downtown and several nearby boroughs.
The area spans the popular Zona Rosa entertainment district and Reforma Avenue, Mexico City’s main artery where fans gather to celebrate soccer wins at the towering Angel of Independence monument.
Authorities said last week they would be deploying more personnel to monitor beer sales by street vendors after more than 700,000 people gathered downtown to celebrate Mexico’s victory over South Korea, which propelled the co-hosts into the World Cup knockout stage.
Public drinking is not permitted in Mexico.
Despite the rain after the game, thousands of fans packed Reforma Avenue, turning one of Mexico City’s most emblematic streets into a sea of green jerseys. Downtown became a massive open-air party, with revelers waving Mexican flags, singing anthems and drinking late into the night.
Authorities said they collected about 40 metric tons of waste in and around the historic center.
(Reporting by Fabiola Arámburo, editing by Ed Osmond)
