MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Strict new drinking law in Chile

With the enforcement of the new Chilean Alcohol Bill, Punta Arenas opening hours for liquor stores and discotheques are considerably reduced and the under 18 are definitively banned from pubs.

Liquor stores, which sell beverages to be consumed out of premises and some of them operating 24 hours, will now be limited from 09:00 in the morning to 01:00 of the following day with an additional two hours on Saturdays and non working national holidays.

Those businesses licenced to sell alcoholic drinks for consumption in premises, such as pubs, bars and restaurants will open at 10:00 in the morning extending until 04:00 of the following day. However licenced dancing places and discotheques will only open at 19:00 hours and close at 04:00 with and additional hour on Saturdays and non working national holidays.

Local authorities with the approval of local Councils can establish different public drinking hours in different areas of their jurisdiction but always keeping to the main timetable framework.

However, Punta Arenas liquor store owners are already objecting since they believe that the new time rules will not only force redundancies but promote what is described as "mobile liquor stores", taxis that deliver alcohol at any address 24 hours a day, "as happens in Puerto Montt for example".

One of Punta Arenas main liquor store operators Mauricio Mancilla Ruiz supports the idea if it effectively helps to cut on "alcohol related crimes", (one of the main reasons for the approval of the Bill), but also warns that the Carabineros (Police) don't have the sufficient resources to enforce the law and will promote an "illegal" market in the poorer areas of the city.