With nearly one million fans set to descend on Mexico for the World Cup, Fifa has vowed that the world’s most watched sporting competition will pass by seamlessly.
But violent clashes in the country sparked by the death of a drug lord earlier this year were a stark reminder of the powerful cartels that have long caused chaos in the country.
In February, Jalisco State authorities declared a state of emergency hours after Mexican security forces killed Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, the formidable leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Cartel militants responded with a destructive campaign of violence across the country, a vivid demonstration of power as it carried out ferocious revenge for the killing of its founder.
During the rampage they set fire to cargo trucks and buses to create roadblocks. Over two days, 30 government agents and a similar number of cartel members were killed.
Four months later and the Jalisco state city of Guadalajara is one of the key Mexican locations due to host the tournament, which is being shared with the United States and Canada.
A Fifa spokesperson told The Independent that it is confident that the government will “ensure a safe, secure, and welcoming environment”, with president Claudia Sheinbaum set to deploy 100,000 troops across the host cities.
It is all part of Mexico’s Plan Kukulkan, an ambitious and large-scale strategy to guarantee security through deep cooperation between multiple arms of Mexico’s security apparatus.
The plan, named after a feathered serpent deity in Maya mythology, will see dozens of federal, state and local agencies work together to guarantee safety around Mexico’s stadiums, training facilities, transport hubs and tourist sites.
The expanded coordination between federal and local agencies could even benefit Mexico’s fight against organised crime after the World Cup comes to an end, experts say.
But Guadalajara’s chilling history still looms. In early 2025, a mass grave containing more than 250 bags of human remains was discovered just 13 kilometres from the host stadium.
Mexico City, another host city, saw a significant escalation in violence last year, in part a product of Sheinbaum’s escalating confrontation of the cartels.
Around 276 organised crime violence events were recorded by conflict analysts ACLED, the most since 2019. That is a 53 per cent increase on 2024.
Aside from the more obvious threat of gang-related violence, concerns have been raised about the impact of strikes in Mexico.
