The regulations amount to an open, official acknowledgment of what has long been a fact of life in this Mexican border city. Before, the few standards that existed were unwritten, which authorities say made them difficult to enforce. They included requiring prostitutes to submit to regular health exams, including three AIDS tests a year. In La Coahuila, men beckon tourists to massage parlors where women parade in a waiting room. Young women dressed as schoolgirls mingle with officers in front of a police station, whispering to potential customers.
Customers strolling through La Coahuila earlier this week welcomed the new standards, but all refused to give their names. They said they get checkups anyway, to ensure they are healthy. Inspectors will swipe the cards through hand-held devices to ensure women have passed monthly health exams. Manuel Noriega, who runs the government clinic, says brothel owners have agreed to pay part of the cost. Also under the new standards, brothel owners must cover furniture with rubber or plastic, disinfect the surroundings periodically and change sheets regularly.
Brothels must be yards from schools and day-care centers and limit hours from 10 a. Violators will be fined and their permits can be revoked. Bernardo Padilla, director of municipal enforcement, said he closed 18 massage parlors in the month since the regulations took effect.
But he acknowledges the owners may simply move their business elsewhere. Skeptics expect little change Skeptics say the new standards, modeled after those in the Mexican cities of Monterrey and Acapulco, will change little. Clinic visits are down nearly 50 percent this year because fewer inspectors are asking prostitutes for health booklets, Noriega said.
The health department had four inspectors but they left amid corruption allegations. City officials say other regulators have been assigned to enforce the stricter standards.
