News of the wave of cartel violence that erupted on February 22 spread rapidly to all corners of the globe, raising uncomfortable questions about Mexico’s ability to guarantee safety for visiting fans in the upcoming World Cup.
Nowhere are these questions more pointed than in Guadalajara. While the other two host venues, Mexico City and Monterrey, remained calm, the Jalisco capital was engulfed in mayhem, the epicenter of the CJNG’s violent reaction to the loss of its leader.
Since then, the messaging has been consistent: the World Cup will go on, and Guadalajara will be ready come June 11, when the first of four first-round games in the city kicks off.
After the February 22 unrest, President Claudia Sheinbaum moved quickly to contain the fallout. In a telephone conversation with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, she received the guarantees she needed.
“He assured me that the World Cup will be held in our country,” Sheinbaum told reporters.
Infantino, speaking to AFP, was characteristically upbeat: “Everything’s good. It’s going to be spectacular,” he said.
Doubts remain
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