MEXICO CITY — FIFA representatives met with Mexican authorities on Wednesday to assess security for the World Cup matches to be played in Mexico.
Concerns arose following violent incidents last week in several Mexican states after a military operation led to the capture and death of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel.
“We reviewed the intelligence, prevention, and operational deployment protocols that will be implemented during this international event,” Federal Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said on his social media accounts.
Mexico, the United States and Canada are co-hosting the World Cup. Mexico is scheduled to host 13 matches, distributed among three cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.
The tournament’s opening match — Mexico vs. South Africa — will be played June 11 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The iconic Mexican venue will also host a friendly between El Tri and Portugal on March 28, the preliminary re-opening date for the Azteca after a renovation that has gone on for nearly two years.
Capacity is expected to be 87,000 when the World Cup kicks off June 11.
In addition to the FIFA representatives and García Harfuch, Wednesday’s meeting also included members of the Security Cabinet and authorities from Mexico City and the states of Jalisco and Nuevo León.
Earlier, President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that thanks to the efforts of federal and state forces, security will be guaranteed for all those visiting the country during the tournament.
“Security is guaranteed, and there is sufficient surveillance and inspection to ensure that absolutely no problems occur, [so that] it will be a great, peaceful World Cup where visitors come to have fun,” Sheinbaum said in her daily briefing.
In addition to the World Cup games in Mexico and the March friendly with Portugal, the cities of Guadalajara and Monterrey will host the six-team inter-confederation playoff to determine two of the final six spots in the World Cup. Jamaica, Iraq, DR Congo, Suriname, New Caledonia and Bolivia will take part in the playoff.
The Mexican president held a telephone conversation last Thursday with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who expressed his “full confidence” that Mexico will be able to co-host the World Cup, despite the violence that erupted in Guadalajara, Jalisco and another 19 states, where dozens of stores, bank branches, and vehicles were burned and looted, and roads were blocked.
Jalisco, the central hub of Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion, was the epicenter of the violence on Feb. 22 after the capture and death of Oseguera Cervantes in the town of Tapalpa, in the southern part of the state.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
