The Day of the Dead is one of the most emblematic celebrations of Mexicans, and among the most outstanding figures of these dates are the catrinas.
In Jalisco, the municipalities are decorated with altars and sculptures of giant catrinas. However, in Puerto Vallarta, one of the catrinas placed on the city’s boardwalk collapsed on top of a vendor due to strong winds, which resulted in an injury to his shoulder.
Around 1:36 am, the personnel of the Municipal Police and Firefighters was informed of the accident with possible injury.
Once at the scene, officer Juan Carlos Valadez found a 34-year-old male named Miguel Ángel Moya Romero, conscious and oriented; and he only reported pain in his right shoulder and right parietal region.
The man stated that while he was sitting selling his products, one of the catrinas displayed on the boardwalk fell on him. Miguel Ángel was treated and transferred to the Regional Hospital.
In the municipality of Puerto Vallarta, an exhibition of catrinas was held on the occasion of the Day of the Dead, where tourists and locals gathered to appreciate the figures.
Catrina in Puerto Vallarta breaks world record
The monumental catrina of Puerto Vallarta, not the one that fell and caused the injury, established a new Guinness World Record with 22.67 meters in height, surpassing the 18.77 meters mark held by Zapotlanejo, Jalisco, since 2015.
The measurement of the monumental catrina was headed by the representative of Guinness World Records, Alfredo Arista Rueda, having as witnesses José Arce Aréchiga, president of the College of Civil Engineers of the Jalisco Coast, and César Bernal Santana, Master in Evaluation, and a team of measurement experts.
The monumental catrina of Puerto Vallarta was the only one that registered to compete on this date and that met all the characteristics to be the largest in the world, and to certify and endorse a drone was used in order to measure up to the highest part of the hat.
It is believed that a Catrina in Mexico City actually exceeds the height of Puerto Vallarta’s at 25 meters, however, the Catrina was not officially registered with Guiness World Records or officially verified.
Among other rules, the sculpture must have proportional dimensions, that is, be a large version in all dimensions of a normal-sized catrina sculpture. Additionally, designs must be proposed and pre-approved by Guiness World Records before the sculpture is created.
“After collecting the pertinent and exact evidence, we are pleased to report that as of today, Puerto Vallarta is officially amazing,” said Arista Rueda, and presented the award to the municipal president, Luis Alberto Michel Rodríguez.
“Yes, it was possible, we achieved the world record, Puerto Vallarta continues to stand out for the things we are doing every day!” said the mayor.
Previously, recognitions were given to those who made the construction of the catrina possible, led by the general coordinator Juan Ernesto Navarro Salcedo, as well as to the artists who made murals in the pantheons 5 de Diciembre and Los Ramblases, represented by Jaime Barajas.
The program for the main day of the Day of the Dead Festival closed with a pyromusical show and a videomapping with a theme alluding to this date, and Los Tenores de Vallarta also performed.
In Jalisco, the municipalities are decorated with altars and sculptures of giant catrinas. However, in Puerto Vallarta, one of the catrinas placed on the city . . .
