Ex-Colón’s “Zurdo” Verdirame gives a raw, honest account from Mexico | OneFootball

Having settled in Mexico for more than three decades, Verdirame said that he now divides his life between Monterrey and Mexico City due to his work in the Kings League, the league created by Gerard Piqué, where he works as a coach.

El Mencho was intensely sought by the DEA

The impact of the death of “El Mencho”

Asked about the shock caused by the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho”, the former player was clear: “The impact is very big. He became the most well-known drug lord worldwide and had very strong power in Mexico.”

According to what he told the Mañana UNO (UNO 106.3) program, last Sunday there were tense hours in several cities, with buses set on fire and attacks on businesses as retaliation against the government. “It was chaos in different areas. Monterrey was not affected, but I have friends in other states who told me what was happening,” he said.

Verdirame clarified that, according to what is known, the attacks were not directed at specific business owners but were “more of a message to the government”. He also confirmed that activities were suspended as a precaution, including matches and classes in the state of Jalisco.

Monterrey and a tragic precedent

The man from Santa Fe also recalled an episode that marked Monterrey years ago: the Casino Royale fire in 2011, which left 52 people dead. “It was a very sad story for this city. Since then, the issue of security is always present,” he emphasized.

However, he said that personally, he has never had a bad direct experience in 33 years of living in Mexico. “I’ve had friends who suffered serious incidents, but in my case I’ve always lived peacefully. If you don’t get involved in anything shady, they don’t mess with you,” he said.

World Cup and social climate

Amid the current situation, Mexico is preparing to host the next World Cup. Jalisco, one of the states affected by recent events, will be the site of internationally significant matches.

“Today, I don’t know if the World Cup could be at risk. I don’t think so, but we have to wait and see how things develop in the coming weeks. The first 30 days will be key to see how everything reorganizes,” he analyzed.

Verdirame believes that a large part of society supports the measures of the Mexican government, now led by Claudia Sheinbaum, although he acknowledged that “there is a lot of fear of speaking out.”

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