Mexico braces for celebrations, protests as World Cup opens amid tensions

Escalating protests and social tensions in Mexico’s capital have threatened to derail FIFA World Cup celebrations on the eve of the opening ceremony, with protesters effectively blocking off access to the plaza set to host the country’s main fan celebrations.

Mexico, jointly hosting the global tournament with the United States and Canada, kicks off festivities on Thursday with a star-studded event and the home team taking on South Africa in the opening game in Mexico City.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has come under criticism over her government’s spending on the tournament, along with political scandals and security concerns following a burst of violence in a World Cup host city in February.

Pressure has mounted on her as guests flood into Mexico City. Residents say authorities have prioritised the competition over pressing social needs.

On Wednesday, Sheinbaum said it was unclear whether Mexico City could host its free fan festival on opening night because a teachers’ union protest camp has blocked access to the plaza.

‘Everything is under control’

FIFA’s logo, orange Mexican marigold flowers, giant footballs and other decorations line streets across Mexico’s capital and the two other host cities, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Fans buzzed with excitement as they strolled through Mexico City’s streets.

The competition is expected to bring in $3bn for hotels, restaurants and sports venues, according to the Mexican Football Federation.

Thursday’s fan festival and opening match are expected to draw more viewers than much of the competition, with Colombian superstar Shakira and others scheduled to perform.

Social tensions have posed the greatest obstacle, particularly in Mexico City.

For more than a week, the country’s teachers’ union has toppled World Cup statues and blocked roads in an annual push for better working conditions.

Families of Mexico’s more than 130,000 missing people have hung flyers of their loved ones and said authorities should focus on addressing humanitarian crises in Mexico.

“We’re not against the ball game,” said Luis Antonio Rosales Narvaez, a protest organiser. But “they should be investing in education … not giving the city a makeover.”

Sheinbaum had denied there was any social unrest ahead of the tournament, but on Wednesday she acknowledged that “if for some reason the Zocalo cannot be used for the opening, there are 18 venues where people can watch it free of charge”, referring to Mexico City’s main square.

“Everything is under control,” she added.

Security ramped up ahead of opener

More than 100,000 soldiers, marines, National Guard and police officers were expected to be deployed across the three Mexican host cities — Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey — as well as in major tourist destinations during the World Cup.

Anti-drone teams, surveillance-camera networks, special crowd management units and military and police patrols will operate during the duration of the tournament at Mexican stadiums, fan fests, airports, national-team camps and other strategic facilities in coordination with FIFA.

Heavily armed police and National Guard officers have been patrolling the streets of Guadalajara as authorities try to reassure visitors and residents that security won’t be an issue in a city that was rocked by cartel violence earlier this year.

Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, will host four World Cup matches, including South Korea against the Czech Republic on the opening day.

Local officials say visitors have nothing to worry about despite the outbreak of violence in February following the Mexican military’s killing of the country’s most powerful cartel boss.

“It’s important to remember that normalcy returned to the state in less than 48 hours after what happened in February,” Alfonso Briseno, the security coordinator in Jalisco, told The Associated Press news agency in the run-up to the tournament.

“I invite all tourists, all citizens of other countries, especially those who will be playing here in Guadalajara … They will be welcome. The Mexican government and the state of Jalisco guarantee their safety.”

Briseno stressed that Jalisco has not faced any security issues recently and that a resurgence of trouble was not expected. He said local authorities were prepared to react quickly if anything happened again.

Nearly 15,000 security personnel have been deployed in the region, including National Guard officers with assault rifles and vehicle-mounted machineguns near the stadium where the games will be played.

“We are feeling very safe. We are not concerned about the same issues that we had a few months ago,” said Rodolfo Valencia, a 22-year-old resident of Guadalajara.

“You can see a lot more police on the streets, and there is a sense that there won’t be any problems around here. Having the World Cup here has helped because the authorities had to take action and make sure that everything goes well.”

Security in Guadalajara will be a special concern for the June 26 match between Spain and Uruguay, when Spain’s King Felipe VI is expected to attend.