Mexican mayor marries former police commissioner in front of 150 guests on the same day she warned her residents about the spread of COVID-19
A Mexican mayor who advised her city's residents to avoid mass gatherings in order to stop the spread of the COVID-19 celebrated her wedding with 150 guests on Saturday.
Patricia Durán, mayor of Naucalpan, State of Mexico, tied the knot with the municipality's former police commissioner, Lázaro Gaytán, in front of at least 150 guests Saturday.
However, instead of holding the ceremony in State of Mexico, where the state government elevated the pandemic's risk level to red - the highest level of restrictions, the 48-year-old Durán and Gaytán exchanged their vow 62 miles away at a private locale in the south central state of Morelos, where the risk level currently sits at orange.
Patrician Durán and her husband Lázaro Gaytán got married in front of friends and family members in the south central Mexican state of Morelos
Wedding guests gathered at an outdoor wedding celebration for Mexican mayor Patricia Durán on Saturday, the same day she shared a Facebook message warning her residents in the city of Naucalpan about the COVID-19 risk
Under the orange level, the second highest risk warning, residents are advised not to participate in mass gatherings.
On the same day as the bride said 'I do,' Durán posted a graphic on her Facebook page which in Spanish read: 'COVID ALERT WE ARE IN A RED RISK LEVEL.'
She immediately faced backlash from residents.
'Does this bother you, madam? Use yourself as an example. How dare you ask that there be no meetings, parties, etc,' the person wrote.
Another user chimed in: 'The mayor is getting married and she could care less that we are in a red risk level.'
Mexican news network Televisa Noticias learned that wedding guests entered the location through separate entrances and that many of they did not adhere to social distancing guidelines.
The network said that some of the women in attendance did not wear masks because they did not want to mess up their makeup.
During the reception, Durán was seen greeting wedding guests with fist and elbow bumps.
Patricia Durán , mayor of Naucalpan, State of Mexico, married the municipality's former police commissioner, Lázaro Gaytán , in front of at least 150 guests Saturday.
Mayor Patricia Durán shared a graphic in Spanish warning residents in Naucalpan about the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic. The message read: 'COVID ALERT WE ARE IN A RED RISK LEVEL'
As of Monday, Mexico ranked fourth in the world with 118,202 coronavirus deaths, and 13th with 1,320,545 cases.
Naucalpan is the municipality with the fourth-most coronavirus infections in the State of Mexico with 8,498 cases and it is third with 786 deaths.
The State of Mexico along with Mexico City, the nation's capital, make up the Valley of Mexico region, and had its COVID-19 risk level increased to red Friday amidst a recent spike of positive cases, which overwhelmed the area's hospital system.