After the municipal cemeteries reopened, under strict health and security protocols, in response to the deep-rooted local custom of visiting the graves of their relatives on the Day of the Dead, the Mérida City Council reports that on October 31, November 1 and 2, around 10,906 people went to the cemeteries to visit their deceased.
The pantheon department belonging to the General Services Sub-Directorate of the Municipal Public Services Directorate reported that the 5 Pantheons of the city, General, Florido, Jardines De La Paz, Chuburná and Xoclán, received on Friday, October 31, a total of 2,859 people, Xoclán being the one with the highest influx of visitors (1,916 people).
On Saturday, November 1, the influx increased with a total of 4,423 people registering (190 in Chuburná; 3,125, Xoclán; 941, General Cemetery; 82, Panteón Florido and 85, Jardines de la Paz).
The highest number of visitors to municipal cemeteries was registered on November 2, with a total of 3,624.
Municipal personnel in coordination with agents of the Secretariat of Public Security remained in the cemeteries to ensure that strict hygiene and prevention measures were met.
As in previous years, on November the 2nd, the Xoclán pantheon was the one that received the largest number of visitors, with a total of 2,785 people, while the General Cemetery registered an influx of 566, followed by the Chuburná cemetery, 156; Panteón Florido, 75 and Jardines de la Paz, 42.
It should be noted that last year on these same dates the municipal cemeteries registered an influx of approximately 10,000 people per day during the festivities dedicated to the Day of the Dead.
This year, due to the restrictions of the pandemic, the pantheons were only authorized to open from October 31 to November 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Among the preventive measures, disinfection tunnels were installed at the entrances to the General Cemetery, and in the case of Xoclán, a disinfection area was designated and vehicles were not allowed to pass except in the case of those who attend a funeral service in the cemetery, for which specific routes were marked, as well as ascent and descent zones.
In the case of the General Cemetery, the entrances were located on both 81st and 66th streets for the exclusive traffic of pedestrians.
The use of face masks was mandatory during the stay in the pantheons, as well as the application of antibacterial gel, and in general, it was verified that attendees complied with health protocols such as maintaining a healthy distance.
Children and people over 70 years old were not allowed access.
The suppliers of flowers and products of this celebration had a designated space with marks and signaling to respect the healthy distance. Additionally, Profeco Yucatán personnel carried out an operation to verify that prices are respected and are kept in public view.
The activities were supported and supervised by the Municipal Police and the Secretariat of Public Security.
It should be noted that after these days, the cemeteries will continue to be closed, as it has been since the health contingency due to COVID-19, following the guidelines of the health authorities.
