The Municipal Cultural Institute reported that Carnaval
earned approximately 450 million pesos for the city.
Mazatlán’s Carnaval 2014 drew to a close yesterday with the lightly attended second parade along the picturesque Malecón. In stark contrast to the first parade held last Sunday, attendance to watch the second was 30 percent less, said the office of the Official Mayor.
The popular highlight of this year’s Carnaval was the performance by the internationally acclaimed Banda El Recodo in Olas Altas on March 3rd where 25,000 fans paid to enjoy the music, though unofficially police estimated 80,000 people packed Olas Altas to watch the two and a half hour show.
Municipal police reported 329 detentions during the five day party and 22 vehicle accidents resulting in 21 injuries. None of the accidents occurred in Carnaval event areas, stated Police Chief Aarón Aguilar Íñiguez, and only two people were arrested for drunk driving.
However, in the early hours of Tuesday morning after the El Recodo performance and as the crowd gathered in Plazuela Machado to continue partying, an argument broke out between two young men in front of the La Coronita bar. One of the men left to return a few minutes later with a gun and began shooting at his rival who was accompanied by friends.
During the incident, 30-year-old Mazatlecan Azucena Pacheo was shot dead and Gabriela Zataráin Wong was injured. The assailant ran into the fleeing crowd searching for his rival Juan Carlos Wong whom he shot and injured. Police immediately apprehended the shooter who was carrying a .9 millimeter handgun and took him into custody.
Mazatlán Mayor Carlos Felton told reporters this was an isolated incident and would not detract from the success of Carnaval 2014 with the theme “Litoralia, la piel del mar.”
And finally, the Municipal Cultural Institute reported that Carnaval earned approximately 450 million pesos for the city.
(from Noroeste)
