El “spring break” en Miami Beach que llevó a un toque de queda

Eso es lo que trajeron los turistas a Miami Beach, según dijo este domingo el alcalde de la ciudad, Dan Gelber.

Por tal motivo, las autoridades locales declararon el estado de emergencia en la ciudad estadounidense, famosa por sus playas, por preocupaciones de que las grandes multitudes que se reúnen para el “spring break” (las vacaciones de primavera) representen un riesgo de contagio de coronavirus.

En Miami Beach ya existía un toque de queda desde la medianoche por la pandemia, pero este fin de semana la medida se adelantó a las 8 de la noche, hasta las 6 de la mañana.

Este domingo se conoció que el toque de queda se extenderá hasta al menos el 12 de abril.

Personas bailando en la calle en Miami Beach.
El alcalde de Miami Beach dijo que los turistas trajeron a la ciudad “caos y desorden”.
Un hombre baila arriba de un auto rodeado de una multitud en Miami Beach.
Las autoridades de Miami Beach decidieron adelantar el toque de queda a la 8 de la noche y extenderlo hasta el 12 de abril.

Durante el toque de queda hay restricciones de tránsito, mientras que los negocios de la concurrida zona de South Beach deben cerrar.

“Se siente como un concierto de rock, gente de pared a pared en cada cuadra”, dijo Gelber a la cadena CNN.

“Si vienes aquí para hacer locuras, ve a otro lado”, añadió.

“Desbordada”

Las vacaciones de primavera son un período de días libres para las escuelas y universidades en EE.UU. que suele ser entre marzo y abril.

Es un momento del año que atrae a miles de estudiantes a Florida y otros destinos de clima cálido en el país.

Las autoridades advirtieron a los turistas que “vacacionen de manera responsable o serán arrestados” antes de que empezara el período vacacional.

Pero el área de Miami Beach estuvo atestada de personas realizando fiestas callejeras durante el fin de semana y muchos no parecían estar usando máscaras o practicando el distanciamiento social.

Multitud en Miami Beach.
Las autoridades de la ciudad dijeron que las medidas ayudarían a mantener seguros a los residentes y visitantes durante el período de vacaciones.

Un funcionario de la ciudad describió a South Beach, que incluye a la mundialmente famosa calle de Ocean Drive, como “desbordada” por las multitudes el sábado.

“No se podía ver el pavimento y no se podía ver el césped”, dijo el administrador de la ciudad, Raúl Aguila.

Miami Beach
Las aglomeraciones llevan produciéndose desde hace semanas.

Añadió que las medidas de emergencia eran “necesarias no solo para proteger a los residentes, sino también a los visitantes, incluidos los que vacacionan, a los que queremos mantener a salvo”.

El domingo, la policía de Miami Beach le dijo a CNN que habían arrestado al menos a una docena de personas después de que entrara en vigor el toque de queda.

La policía lleva a cabo arrestos en Miami Beach
La policía ha realizado varios arrestos en el área de Miami Beach el sábado.

El diario Miami Herald informó que la policía usó gas pimienta para hacer cumplir el toque de queda en la noche del sábado.

Hasta que se levanten las medidas, la policía evitará que peatones y vehículos ingresen a las principales sitios donde se suelen organizar fiestas en South Beach.

Multitud en Miami Beach.
Miami Beach es un destino popular durante el “spring break” o vacaciones de primavera en Estados Unidos.

El domingo, la comisión de la ciudad de Miami Beach votó para extender el toque de queda y otras medidas por hasta tres semanas más.

En una reunión de emergencia, el alcalde Gelber dijo a la comisión que South Beach se había convertido en “una yesca en las últimas dos semanas”.

Dijo que los turistas habían llegado a la ciudad desde que el gobernador de Florida, Ron DeSantis, llamó al estado un “oasis de libertad” de las restricciones del coronavirus a fines del mes pasado.

Florida sigue siendo un punto caliente para el coronavirus en EE.UU. El estado registra casi dos millones de los 29 millones de infecciones del país desde que comenzó la pandemia.

Multitudes de personas se reúnen durante las vacaciones de primavera, en Miami Beach
Funcionarios de Miami dijeron que el área de South Beach se vio “desbordada” por la multitud de turistas.

Los datos más recientes de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) de EE.UU. muestran que Florida registró alrededor de 4.300 nuevas infecciones por día en promedio durante la semana pasada.

Crowds defiantly gather in the street while a speaker blasts music an hour past curfew in Miami Beach, Fla., on Sunday, March 21, 2021. An 8 p.m. curfew has been extended in Miami Beach after law enforcement worked to contain unruly crowds of spring break tourists. (Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald via AP)
(Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald via AP)
An unidentified man is detained and later arrested on Sunday, March 21, 2021, at 5th Street and Ocean Drive while crowds of Miami Beach spring-breakers walk Ocean Drive several hours prior to a city-wide curfew that was put into effect after several nights of mass arrests. An 8 p.m. curfew has been extended in Miami Beach after law enforcement worked to contain unruly crowds of spring break tourists (Carl Juste/Miami Herald via AP)
(Carl Juste/Miami Herald via AP)
Un hombre es arrestado por violar el toque de queda en Miami Beach el 21 de marzo del 2021. (Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald via AP)
(Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald via AP)
A man stands on a car as crowds defiantly gather in the street while a speaker blasts music an hour past curfew in Miami Beach, Fla., on Sunday, March 21, 2021. An 8 p.m. curfew has been extended in Miami Beach after law enforcement worked to contain unruly crowds of spring break tourists. (Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald via AP)
(Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald via AP)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Alternate crop) People leave the area as an 8pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: People gather while exiting the area as an 8pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: People gather while exiting the area as an 8pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: A Miami Dade police officer directs people out of the area as an 8pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: People gather while exiting the area as an 8pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: A Miami Dade police officer directs people out of the area as an 8pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: People leave the area as an 8pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: People leave the area as an 8pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: A Miami Dade police officer directs people out of the area as an 8 pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: People leave the area as an 8pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: People leave the area as an 8pm curfew goes into effect on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: A Miami Beach police officer informs people of an 8pm curfew on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: People enjoy themselves along Ocean Drive on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: People walk along Ocean Drive on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: People enjoy themselves along Ocean Drive on March 21, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. College students have arrived in the South Florida area for the annual spring break ritual, prompting city officials to impose an 8pm to 6am curfew as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Miami Beach police have reported hundreds of arrests and stepped up deployment to control the growing spring break crowds. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

CON INFORMACIÓN DE: BBC NEWS