Reconsiderando “la tradición de beber y morir”: una propuesta de intervención comunitaria

This ethnographic research conducted in San Andrés Cholula, Puebla, Mexico, analyzes how a prototype of masculinity is constructed in close relation to excessive alcohol consumption, in line with the notion of “tradition” that leads to multiple forms of violence. Through this, it shows how the alcoholization of the masses, as well as the figure of the drunk man, have become normalized in the popular imagination, hiding behind religiosity, traditions, and local/national identity. Recognizing alcohol as a risk factor in social and health terms forces us to think about ways to prevent and eradicate violence, not only at the individual level, but also at the local level, where educational, ecclesiastical, and political authorities can contribute to changing the environment. In view of this, the importance of environmental approaches or socio-ecological models of development in the prevention of drug use and violence is emphasized as a means of intervention in the area under study.