Source : ABC NEWS
Mexico’s president says fans face “no risk” attending FIFA World Cup games, despite the capture and killing of the country’s most-wanted cartel leader that sparked roadblocks, arson and security clashes, notably in Jalisco state.
On Tuesday, local time, Claudia Sheinbaum said there was “every guarantee” the World Cup matches would be held in Jalisco, adding that there was “no risk” for fans coming to the tournament.
The top international soccer tournament is expected to draw fans from around the world to matches in Mexico City, Monterrey and Jalisco’s capital, Guadalajara.
Jalisco Governor Jesús Pablo Lemus said he had spoken with local FIFA officials who have “absolutely no intention of removing any venues from Mexico”.
“The three venues remain completely unchanged,” he said.
Jalisco, in western Mexico, has been plagued by some of the starkest examples of cartel violence in recent years, including the discovery of a cartel killing site at a ranch last March and a crisis of disappearances.
Car fires and road blockades appeared in eight different Mexican states after Oseguera Cervantes’s death. (Reuters: Supplied / @morelifediares via Instagram/Youtube)
But casting fresh doubts is that the state is a central hub for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), whose leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or “El Mencho”, was killed in a capture attempt by the Mexican military.
More than 70 people died in the El Mencho operation and the killing sparked a surge in violence as fighting between the CJNG and Mexican security forces raged on.
One of the fastest-growing criminal networks in Mexico, the CJNG is known for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to the United States, and staging brazen attacks against Mexican government officials.
The Portuguese soccer federation said it was “closely monitoring the delicate situation” in Mexico.
Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, is one of the venue’s for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (AP: Marco Ugarte)
Its national team was scheduled to play Mexico’s team in a friendly on March 28 at the newly renovated Azteca Stadium, which is scheduled to host the opening match of the World Cup on June 11.
Mexico was scheduled to play Iceland on Wednesday in a friendly in Queretaro.
A spokesperson for FIFA told Reuters that the organisation was closely monitoring the situation and was in close contact with the authorities.
“We will continue to follow the actions and directions from the different government agencies, aimed at maintaining public safety and restoring normalcy, and we reiterate our close collaboration with federal, state, and local authorities,” they said.
The death of Oseguera Cervantes came as Mexico’s government stepped up its offensive against cartels in an effort to meet demands by US President Donald Trump to crack down on criminal groups.
‘Not a good idea’, locals say
Hugo Alejandro Pérez was in his house a few miles from the Mexican stadium that is slated to host World Cup games when gunfire and explosions erupted just outside his door.
The 53-year-old restaurant owner was already sceptical about Guadalajara hosting the international sporting event.
He saw a government that failed to fix basic things, like water service to his home, along with cartel violence in the surrounding state and shook his head.
Mexico’s National Intelligence Center, special forces, air force and national guard launched the raid. (AP: Armando Solis)
The surge of bloodshed this week following the Mexican military’s killing of the country’s most powerful cartel boss offered more confirmation of his doubts.
“I don’t think they should host the World Cup here,” Mr Pérez said.
“We have so many problems, and they want to invest in the World Cup? With all the violence, it’s not a good idea.“
Mr Peréz joined other people on Tuesday in questioning Guadalajara’s capacity to be a host city for the summer soccer competition, even as the Mexican government vowed that the international event — hosted jointly by Mexico, the US and Canada — will not be affected.
Drug lord’s death could lead to more violence
Mr Peréz commended Ms Sheinbaum’s efforts to go after cartels, saying the government has taken cartel violence more seriously than her predecessors.
At the same time, he said, local authorities in Jalisco have fallen short in protecting civilians.
The root concern for many is that the death of El Mencho could pave the way for more violence.
Killing capos, in what has become known as the “kingpin strategy,” has been criticised by Ms Sheinbaum herself because it can often spark internal conflict between cartel factions and push rival cartels to make territorial grabs.
Vanda Felbab-Brown, an academic at Brookings Institution, said she did not see more acts of “revenge” by the cartel as likely, but the future remains uncertain, especially after leading figures in both CJNG and the Sinaloa cartel have been knocked out in recent years.
“If there is no clear line of succession [in CJNG] we might see a lot of fighting within the cartel, its break-up, there are a lot of scenarios,” she said.
The Socceroos have been drawn in Group D, alongside co-hosts USA, Paraguay and either Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo, for the World Cup. (Getty Images: Mark Nolan)
Mr Peréz said he did not see the point of holding the games, adding that he doubted any of the money from the games would trickle down to businesses in working-class neighbourhoods like his, even if they were just a 10-minute drive from the stadium.
Similar tensions have simmered in Mexico City.
The World Cup is expected to be a $US3 billion ($4.2 billion) economic engine for Mexico, according to the Mexican Soccer Federation.
“It doesn’t help us residents at all, honestly. They should move it to Monterrey or Mexico City. But right now here, we’re not convinced,”
he said.
“Things aren’t in good enough shape for foreigners to be coming to Jalisco for an event like this.”
AP/Reuters/ABC
