Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday offered “full guarantees” for the safety of football fans at World Cup games in the violence-plagued city of Guadalajara, insisting there was “no risk” to visitors attending four matches in June .
The assurance comes after a wave of violence erupted following the military’s killing of drug lord Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of the most wanted men in Mexico and the United States . Oseguera was killed Sunday in a military operation some 130 kilometres from Guadalajara .
The cartel responded with fury, engaging in firefights with security forces that left dozens dead across Mexico—both soldiers and cartel members—and sending tourists and residents fleeing for cover. Highway blockades were reported in 20 states, with vehicles set ablaze and businesses torched .
Guadalajara’s streets remained semi-empty on Monday as businesses stayed shut and schools were suspended in Jalisco state . The violence forced authorities to temporarily suspend football games in Guadalajara and the central state of Queretaro . Football’s world governing body FIFA declined to comment on the violence in one of the cup’s host cities .
As calm returns, businesses in Jalisco are expected to reopen on Tuesday, with schools to follow suit on Wednesday .
Authorities are turning to technology to ensure safety during the World Cup, with drones, anti-drone equipment, and AI-driven video surveillance systems among the tools the state government will deploy . Soldiers at a military base in Mexico City recently demonstrated anti-drone systems that will be deployed at stadiums and fan zones to counter potential threats from non-authorized drones .
Jalisco is one of the states with the most disappeared people in Mexico, with 12,575 reported missing, according to official statistics. More than half of the cases come from Guadalajara’s metropolitan area . Some activists have expressed dismay over Guadalajara hosting the World Cup, with relatives of missing persons questioning whether there is anything to celebrate .
Guadalajara is one of three Mexican cities that will host fixtures in the World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19 . The city’s Estadio Akron will host four matches: South Korea vs a UEFA playoff team (June 11), Mexico vs South Korea (June 18), Colombia vs an inter-confederation playoff winner (June 23), and Uruguay vs Spain (June 26) .
