Declaring coVID-19 health emergency in Mexico, Chancellor Marcelo Ebrard said on Monday that there would be administrative or even criminal sanctions for those who fail to comply with facility closures and cause COVID-19 contagion.
“What would happen to whoever opposes or opens or says, ‘I don’t care’Well, there will be everything from administrative sanctions that give you a fine, a closure, even, if you can, if it is shown that because you did that someone got that, because you can even have criminal responsibilities,” Ebrard replied to the question of whether there would be sanctions on private initiative, for not scorning activities that are not considered essential.
“Sorry, but can companies do these kinds of sanctions?” insisted on a journalist.
“They are different, some are social reasons and others to natural people who do things, because it depends on what we are talking about, but I would say that in general, anyone who opposes it to follow their activities even though it is prevented, because it is becoming without administrative sanctions that range from the closing of your place, they give you a fine and, most seriously, impose a penalty penalty for a very extreme case,” he added.
30_03_2020_VES Agreement declaring the SARS-CoV2 virus-generated disease epidemic (COVID-19) as a health emergency due to force majeure. https://t.co/o1qYscecFR
— Official Journal DOF (@DOF_SEGOB) March 31, 2020
So far, Ebrard said, the Mexican government has found support for private initiative, to measures to try to contain the epidemic.
“It is better to act now, as they say, for health reasons, but also for reasons of the economy. The more effective this month, to keep us all, the sooner we will return to normal,” Ebrard said.
On Monday, the General Health Council approved the COVID-19 health emergency declaration in Mexico.
Among the measures is the immediate suspension from 30 March to 30 April of non-essential activities in the public, private and social sectors.
In the list of essential activities, as reported by health authorities, are: distribution and sale of energy, tax collection, distribution and sale of energy, gas and gas, generation and distribution of drinking water, food and non-alcoholic beverage industry, food markets, supermarkets, self-service stores, grocery stores and sale of prepared food.
Passenger and cargo transport services; agricultural and livestock production, agro-industry, chemistry, cleaning products; hardware stores, services
messaging, guards in private security duties; childcare and stays, nursing homes and stays, telecommunications and media, private emergency services, funeral and burial services, storage and cold chain of essential inputs, logistics (airports, ports and railways), as well as activities whose suspension may have irreversible effects for their continuation.
As for companies and their workers, Ebrard said that being a health emergency and the absence of workers to prevent contagion would be for a cause of force majeure, does not apply to the limiting of their wages and only compensation given to them, during the month of closure of non-essential activities.
“They cannot be deprived of their salary this month according to the law,” Ebrard said.
“Company that tries, will face the work process that will lose, because the law is very clear; besides, it doesn’t suit us, it’s not in the best interest of companies.
“Why doesn’t it suit you? Because if I do, what’s going to happen, because you destroy your company, you run out of all the knowledge, knowledge, the capacity of your company, it’s almost like a suicide for a company, but the law doesn’t allow them. I have no doubt that there will be, perhaps, any company that tries to do it, but to be is going to crash with what the law says.”
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