Authorities said at least 35 people died after drinking methanol in two states in central Mexico, the latest in a series of mass bad-alcohol poisonings since coronavirus lockdowns began and many towns banned legitimate alcohol sales.
On Tuesday, the government of Puebla state said "at least" 20 people died in the town of Chiconcuautla of presumed methanol poisoning. The state said it had closed the stores where the suspect liquor had been sold, and seized about 200 litres of it.
And in Morelos state, south of Mexico City, inspectors seized four 20-litre jugs of unlabeled alcohol that was believed to be the cause of 15 poisoning deaths in the hamlet of Telixtac. The dead were 14 men and one woman.
In late April, 25 people died in the state of Jalisco after drinking a cheap brand of cane alcohol known as "El Chorrito." And local media reported another seven people died of methanol poisoning recently in the Yucatan village of Acanceh, but authorities did not immediately respond to requests for information to confirm that incident.
It is unclear if the poisonings are related to the new coronavirus lockdowns. Authorities have not said whether people drank the adulterated booze because legitimate liquor was unavailable or whether the economic effects of the lockdown have forced people to turn to cheaper bootleg versions.
