A total of 616 drivers were fined Saturday night, from 8 pm and 5 am this Sunday for violating the vehicular restriction; 16 of them were under the influence – drunk.
The data was provided this morning by the Ministry of Public Security, after carrying out a mega-operation together with the Policia de Transito (Traffic Police), the San Jose Municipal Police, the immigration police and the University of Costa Rica (UCR) police.
Police action, one of the measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of the covid-19, governs 10 pm to 5 om weekdays and on weekends from 8 pm to 5 am.
Being that the measure was introduced on Friday, this weekend the 8 to 5 was applied only on Saturday and Sunday, come this coming weekend it will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
In addition to the restrictions violation, 521 of the drivers incurred fines for other violations of the traffic law, such as driving without a license, not having the Marchamo and Riteve current, driving under the influence and others.
The numbers for the first four days of the restrictions, a total of 1,422 drivers were fined: 159 on Tuesday, 169 on Wednesday, 218 on Thursday, 266 on Friday and 616 on Saturday.
The current fine for the restrictions that will continue until April 12, is ¢23,000 colones. A proposal is expected to be introduced to Congress this week to up the fine to ¢107,000 colones.
The restriction is countrywide, however, authorities are focusing on the greater metropolitan area of San Jose, the area with the largest population in the country.
Tonight Sunday, police will be out monitoring the roads starting at 8 pm.
A number of retailers, like Walmart for example, have announced closing their stores at 7:30 pm.
Notwithstanding, the Ministry of Health issued an order on Saturday that all establishments with health permits – that is everything retail, restaurant, and businesses that have direct attention to the public – must be closed from 8 pm on the weekends.
Excluded are supermarkets, supers and puplerias (corner stores) and home delivery of medicines and food.
