Kendal Blust/KJZZ

Patrons sit at an outdoor table at a bar in Hermosillo on June 22, 2018.

State officials have opened the door for bars, cantinas and nightclubs in Sonora to resume business as early as this week — with restrictions. Establishments will only be allowed to stay open until midnight and operate at half capacity, and must implement temperature checks and other coronavirus safety practices.

The reopening comes after months of demands and protests from the industry, said Manuel Lira, state representative for the national restaurant association.

"You have to realize that here in the state, these service providers are the only ones who haven't opened in six months," he said. "Now they're desperate. For good reason. We're talking about six months without any income."

Each city has to ask for and receive permission from state alcohol regulators to start reopening. Some quickly received permission. But others, including the capital Hermosillo, have yet to submit requests. That’s frustrated some in the industry who expected to open by now.

Lira said he expects to see cities putting in those requests soon and hopes Hermosillo establishments could open by the end of the week.

"Maybe I'm being overly optimistic," he said. "We've talked to the city, and I don't know why they haven't already done it."