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From theater and late-night street outreach to a candle-bright march and a city bathed in red light, Puerto Vallarta will mark World AIDS Day with a slate of public events aimed at prevention, remembrance and fundraising, as health officials and community groups roll out more than a week of activities across the Malecón, Old Town and the historic center from Nov. 29 through Dec. 8.
Alfredo Soria, director of the Municipal Council for the Prevention of AIDS (COMUSIDA), presented the activities to be held in Puerto Vallarta as part of World AIDS Day, which is commemorated internationally every year on December 1 since 1988.
Soria was joined by Pedro López, director of the Vallarta Gay+ Community Center, and Everardo Galván, director of the INCLUY association, both of whom have collaborated closely with the COMUSIDA head. Together, they announced the following schedule of activities to be held at various venues from November 29 to December 8, 2025:
| Date | Time | Activity | Venue/Start Point |
| Saturday, Nov 29 | 8 p.m. | VIH Y UN BESO (HIV and a Kiss) – Theater play by local actor Edgar Treviño | Vallarta Gay+ Community Center (Morelos 160, local 3B, above Santander bank) |
| 10 p.m. | COMMEMORATIVE CONDOM ROUTE – Mass distribution of prevention supplies | Bars and clubs in the Malecón and Romantic Zone | |
| Monday, Dec 1 | 9 a.m. | ENTRE AGUJAS Y DECISIONES (Between Needles and Decisions) – Conference by internationally recognized activist Kenya Cuevas | CECATI (Hidalgo 300, Centro) |
| 6 p.m. | WORLD AIDS DAY COMMEMORATIVE WALK – Attendees are asked to wear red | Starts at McDonald’s Malecón and ends at Los Arcos del Malecón | |
| 7 p.m. | LIVING RIBBON – Formation of the commemorative AIDS ribbon by all attendees dressed in red | Los Arcos del Malecón | |
| 7:30 p.m. | COMMEMORATIVE LIGHTING – Official buildings (City Hall and Los Arcos) will be illuminated in red | City Hall and Los Arcos del Malecón | |
| 7:40 p.m. | CLOSING EVENT – Messages from authorities and civil society, plus a special performance | Los Arcos del Malecón | |
| Monday, Dec 8 | 10 p.m. | NIGHT OF MANAGERS – Fundraising event for CAPASITS (Specialized Center for the Prevention and Care of HIV) | Paco’s Ranch (Ignacio L. Vallarta 237, Emiliano Zapata) |
COMUSIDA, as a public prevention and linkage organization, will also be conducting free rapid testing campaigns for HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis C at the following venues:
Key Facts about HIV/AIDS
In line with the challenge of fighting misinformation, here are some important facts and updated data regarding HIV and AIDS:
1. Distinguishing HIV from AIDS
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that attacks the immune system. AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is the most advanced stage of the viral infection.
2. Transmission and Treatment
Transmission occurs through unprotected anal or vaginal sex, blood transfusions, sharing contaminated needles (in healthcare settings or for injecting drug use), and from mother to child during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. Oral sex is considered a low-risk sexual activity for HIV transmission.
Access to antiretroviral treatment to control the virus in Mexico is free through public health institutions (like CAPASITS, IMSS, ISSSTE). A person with HIV who achieves an undetectable viral load can live a lifespan and quality of life virtually equal to that of any other person, and as noted, they cannot transmit the virus sexually.
3. Modern Prevention Tools:
- PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis): A pill taken daily or on-demand by HIV-negative people to prevent infection. It is highly effective.
- PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis): Medicine taken within 72 hours (3 days) after a possible exposure to prevent infection.
- U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable): An individual with HIV who is on effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) and has an undetectable viral load cannot transmit the virus through sex.
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