NUEVO VALLARTA – Ending one of the deadliest months in the nearly year long coronavirus pandemic, as well as the year 2020 itself, gay circuit party impresario Jeffrey Sanker’s Palm Springs based White Party Entertainment is throwing a New Years Eve weekend bash- in Mexico, despite recommended Mexican public health guidelines and COVID-19 mandates.
The event has drawn massive mostly negative reaction and condemnation in social media posts, and online as well prompting authorities in Puerto Vallarta in the Mexican state of Jalisco, where the White Party was originally advertised as being held, to strongly remind partygoers and organisers that the city and the surrounding region were observing COVID-19 restrictions that would prohibit any type of mass gathering.
“Per the current state government mandate related to COVID-19, all private and public events of more than 8 people are strictly forbidden. All public festivities in the state of Jalisco have been cancelled, including the previously promoted White Party Weekend at Mantamar Beach Club & Sushi,” an official wrote on behalf of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board in an emailed statement to the Blade.
“Local authorities are aware of all previously planned events and are prepared to respond in a timely manner should any activity take place that is in opposition to local mandates.”
The Vallarta Daily News reported last week on Christmas Day that the Puerto Vallarta Regional Hospital had reached 100% total bed capacity, overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, as the state of Jalisco’s health officials reported a 65% positivity rate in coronavirus testing.
Mexico has experienced more than 126,000 deaths from COVID-19 and is also currently experiencing a new rapid surge. Nearly 13,000 new cases were reported Wednesday with 990 deaths. The state of Jalisco which has a population of 8 million reported 456 new cases and 52 additional deaths.
Seemingly undeterred, Sanker’s company has shifted the event to the town of Nuevo Vallarta in the neighboring state of Nayarit after Jalisco authorities forbade the event.
As of Wednesday the state of Nayarit is under the orange status of Mexico’s “Traffic Light” monitoring system. All businesses, and organizations continue to operate at 50% capacity with social distancing, which includes the hotel industry, beaches and tours. The state of Nayarit which has a population of 1.8 million, on Wednesday reported 19 new cases and 7 new deaths.
The Blade spoke with authorities in Nayarit Wednesday evening who indicated that while technically not running afoul of the health orders, they were aware of the event and would be “closely monitoring” it.
The New Years Eve weekend long bash, which was originally advertised on Sanker’s company’s Eventbrite listing of events, as well as its Instagram, Facebook and Jefferysanker.com pages, asked that attendees not to share photos or video of the event on social media.
The Blade spoke with a staff member of Evento Palmerias in Nuevo Vallarta, which is located approximately 45 minutes from the original venue at the Mantamar Beach Club, Bar & Sushi. The source, who spoke on the condition of remaining anonymous, confirmed that the event will proceed in that location.
“The event is sold out and we will be reminding everyone that it’s polite to wear a mask and stay 6 feet away during the party. If they have a temperature we intend to suggest they go home, but we can not force them to stay at home. Nayarit allows gatherings and there are no restrictions here,” the staffer told the Blade.
One reveler, also spoke to the Blade on the condition of anonymity claimed that the venue did not change and had always been privately advertised as Nuevo Vallarta, however there are numerous parties throughout the weekend and many others are planned.
“The best party with the hottest sex will be held at an estate in Puerto Vallarta and I’m going. I don’t have Covid. Like, I can’t infect someone with something I don’t have,” he said. “If I get it I’ll let you know, but who cares. I’m 23 years old and a girls gotta live,” he said.
Since many of those traveling to the event are from California, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health told the Blade that especially with the looming threat of a Christmas holiday-fueled surge, public health officials had amended health orders now requiring that travelers returning to the Southland must quarantine.
“Because of the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19 while traveling outside of L.A County, for everyone that traveled or are planning to travel back into L.A. County, you must quarantine for 10 days. If you start to experience any symptoms or have a positive test, isolate for 10 days and until you are fever-free for 24 hours.”
The Blade scanned the “Nearby Friends” app feature on Facebook and counted more than two dozen West Hollywood and Los Angeles area residents whose locations revealed they are currently in Puerto Vallarta.
In a Wednesday evening phone call, law enforcement officials in the state of Jalisco told the Blade that there will be random checkpoints set up targeting rideshare and private vehicles especially to ensure that COVID-19 restrictions are being kept for any vehicle returning from the state of Riviera Nayarit.
