Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, October 30, 2026 – A Día de Muertos security operation involving more than 200 police and traffic personnel begins today on Puerto Vallarta’s Malecón.
The deployment starts along the tourist strip, then expands to cemeteries on Sunday, November 1, and Monday, November 2. Officers will patrol on foot and in vehicles, manage cemetery access, and conduct checks at pedestrian entrances.
For residents planning an evening downtown or a visit to a family grave, the practical question is how that coverage will affect getting around and entering the cemeteries.
Police Commissioner Eduardo Llanas Cuevas outlined the schedule in the municipal announcement. Cemetery security coverage will begin at 7 a.m. on November 1 and 2 and continue until the facilities close.
The announced assignments include 30 personnel each at the cemeteries in 5 de Diciembre, El Progreso and Ramblases, supported by police and traffic patrol vehicles. The figure of more than 200 covers the wider holiday operation, rather than a single location.
Those assignments come as municipal officials anticipate more than 30,000 cemetery visitors over the two days. That is an attendance estimate, but it explains the emphasis on entrances and the streets immediately outside them.
The same three cemeteries, each receiving 30 personnel, also account for the 109 registered stalls covered in Vallarta Daily’s cemetery preparations report. Stall setup begins October 31, with trading November 1–2, adding another use of the space around cemetery approaches.
At the entrances, visitors should expect restrictions on what they carry. Municipal operational deputy director Faustino Carreño said alcohol and glass bottles or containers will be prohibited. Weapons and sharp objects are also banned, according to the security announcement.
That makes the choice of a water bottle a small but useful part of preparing for a visit: bring drinking water in a container that complies with the glass restriction.
Officers will also help people with disabilities approach cemetery entrances by vehicle. Tribuna’s report says assistance will extend to older adults. Anyone accompanying a person who has difficulty walking can ask the officers managing access about the closest permitted drop-off point.
The announcement does not provide a street-by-street closure schedule or a uniform cemetery closing time. Its 7 a.m. start refers to the security deployment, so it should not be read as confirmation of opening hours at every cemetery.
Authorities also recommend keeping children off gravestones, since damaged structures can break, and giving them identification with an emergency contact number. Families are encouraged to agree on a meeting point in case someone becomes separated. Emergencies can be reported to 911.
The operation’s two main settings will connect directly on Monday evening. The official Día de Muertos program schedules the November 2 parade to depart from the 5 de Diciembre cemetery at 6 p.m., bringing the holiday’s cemetery visits and downtown celebrations together at the same departure point.
