Guadalajara aims to calm fans after violence, 100 days to World Cup | OneFootball

The Mexican city of Guadalajara is trying to reassure fans ahead of the World Cup, which starts in 100 days, after being shaken last week by violence following the death of the powerful drug lord Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera.

The government and FIFA assert that conditions exist for Mexico's second-largest metropolis to host World Cup matches and the intercontinental playoffs at the end of March, where six teams will compete for the last two spots in the tournament.

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After being the epicenter last Sunday of the retaliation by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), led by Oseguera, the city is moving towards normality a week after the wave of violence, which left more than 70 dead.

The fury of the drug traffickers included roadblocks, vehicles set on fire, business closures, and above all, a widespread climate of terror three months before the start of the world's biggest football tournament, which Mexico co-organizes with the United States and Canada.

“Everyone will be prepared (…) in terms of security” before the start of the World Cup, said Silvia Rivera, a 68-year-old retired teacher, in Guadalajara, a city that resumed its activities between Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Additional Security Measures?

The capital of the state of Jalisco (western Mexico) was the most affected by the drug cartels' retaliation after the death in a military operation of Oseguera, the most powerful drug lord in the country, for whom the United States had offered a reward of $15 million (R$ 77 million) for his capture.

But the violence was not limited to Guadalajara, which will host four World Cup matches, including Uruguay vs. Spain, one of the highlights of the first phase. The chaos spread across 20 of Mexico's 32 states. The other two host cities, Mexico City and Monterrey (northeast Mexico), the latter also hosting the playoffs, reported no incidents.

“Rest assured, you are coming to a safe and peaceful place,” assured President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday, addressing “all the tourists” who will visit the country during the largest World Cup in history, with 48 teams.

In a phone call on Thursday, she assured FIFA President Gianni Infantino that Mexico “has returned to normality,” while the official reiterated his “full confidence” in the country.

Before the violent incident, Jalisco authorities had explained to AFP that security during the World Cup would be guaranteed with drones, signal blockers for unmanned aircraft, and video surveillance with artificial intelligence.

The number of surveillance cameras will increase from 7,000 to 13,000, explained Juan Carlos Contreras, general director of the state control and monitoring center.

After the drug cartel attack, AFP questioned state authorities about the possibility of additional measures but received no response. Meanwhile, the population is trying to return to normality.

Missing Persons

Missael Robles, a 31-year-old tour guide who canceled his tours between Sunday and Tuesday, observed the gradual return of visitors.

“Optimism is not lacking,” he commented on Friday, the day he took his clients to visit cities like Tequila and Chapala.

The recent CJNG cartel attack is not the only problem faced by Guadalajara and its surroundings, forming the metropolitan region with the highest number of disappearances in Mexico.

This scourge, also present in other regions of the country, has been particularly striking since the federal government launched a controversial military anti-drug operation in 2006.

In Jalisco, at least 300 clandestine graves containing bodies of missing persons have been found, including near the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, where World Cup matches will be played.

“The main hypothesis” behind the disappearances is forced recruitment by criminal organizations, says Carmen Chinas, a professor at the University of Guadalajara.

Search and seizure groups plan demonstrations during the World Cup, and authorities acknowledge that potential protests pose a “risk” to the tournament.

On Friday, in Mexico City, protesters displayed banners with messages like “behind the Cup, graves and troops are hidden.”

In Guadalajara, José Raúl Servín, a 54-year-old waiter, has been searching for his son Raúl since April 2018, when he was kidnapped by armed men.

Servín says he feels “a great sadness” with the approach of the World Cup, as his son was a football fan. “If he were here, he would be happy,” he laments.

 *With content from AFP

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.