Culture

Mexico's sacred Mother's Day hindered by COVID-19

Mexico City, May 6 (EFE).- Mother's Day, a sacred date celebrated by Mexicans on May 10, this year is hindered by the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by the authorities in Mexico City, who have ordered the closure of flower shops, patisseries, and even graveyards to avoid celebrations and crowds. The authorities' actions surprised Adrian Luna, who went to Jamaica Market, the best-known flower sale site in the country's capital, where hundreds of citizens were panic buying because the local government will close it from Thursday. (Camera: DENISSE TORRES). SHOT LIST: THE ICONIC JAMAICA MARKET IN MEXICO CITY, MEXICO, AMID THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. SOUNDBITES: CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, HEAD OF THE MEXICO CITY GOVERNMENT, MARTHA PATRICIA PÉREZ, OWNER OF A SHOP IN THE JAMAICA MARKET; AND ADRIAN LUNA, CUSTOMER AT THE MARKET (IN SPANSIH).TRANSLATIONS: 1.) Sheinbaum: This May 10 we celebrate with a healthy distance, of course as a family, but with healthy distance: phone calls, video calls to mothers, grandmothers, and by July 10 we can get together as a family to celebrate it better (00:11-00:29).2.) Perez: When the disease began, sales went down a lot, and now they're hurting us, because they're going to close us down until May 18, and they say that maybe they won't open until the 30th (00:34-00:46).3.) Luna: I don't agree... It's a very important date for all Mexicans, for many people from many countries, because it's tradition, that's how our parents taught us, that's how we follow it, we have to keep on with it (00:50-01:04).