The Mexican president says 100,000 safety personnel will probably be deployed throughout upcoming soccer match.
Revealed On 6 Mar 2026
President Claudia Sheinbaum has unveiled a plan to deploy as many as 100,000 members of Mexico’s safety forces in the course of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Sheinbaum made the announcement throughout a Friday go to to a suburb of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state.
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The realm had been struck by a wave of violence after Mexico launched a lethal navy operation on February 22 in opposition to cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, who was killed in an change of gunfire.
Sheinbaum used her remarks to reassure the general public that Jalisco and the entire of Mexico can be secure, notably as safety considerations ramp up forward of the World Cup.
“We’re right here … to inform everybody in Jalisco, all of the folks of Jalisco, that we’re collectively, that we’re working for peace, safety and the wellbeing of the inhabitants of this stunning state,” Sheinbaum stated alongside members of her safety cupboard.
Mexico is ready to host World Cup matches in three cities: Guadalajara, Mexico Metropolis and Monterrey. A complete of 13 video games will probably be held between the three websites.
However the current burst of violence has spurred questions on safety in Mexico. Officers have sought to guarantee FIFA authorities and potential travellers that the match will probably be secure.
The World Cup is ready to begin on June 11, and it’s being co-hosted by the US and Canada as nicely. The primary match kicks off in Mexico Metropolis, adopted by a second on the identical day in Guadalajara.
Basic Roman Villalvazo Barrios, head of Mexico’s World Cup coordination centre, stated that the nation’s safety plan consists of 20,000 navy personnel, together with Nationwide Guard troops, and 55,000 cops, supplemented by members of personal safety firms.
“That provides us a complete of simply over 99,000 personnel,” stated Barrios, noting that the federal government was additionally coordinating with its co-hosts on safety.
“For Mexico, [the World Cup] entails two challenges: to current a dependable and safe nation earlier than the worldwide group, and to have the capability to confront any threats that undermine nationwide safety,” Barrios added.
The demise of El Mencho final month got here as Mexico faces strain from the US to aggressively confront cartels inside its borders.
El Mencho had been a frontrunner within the Jalisco New Technology Cartel (CJNG), and his killing prompted retaliatory assaults throughout Mexico.
Nonetheless, critics have questioned the rising use of Mexico’s navy in legislation enforcement efforts.
Throughout Sheinbaum’s tenure and that of her predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexican navy forces have taken on a larger position in governance and public security, regardless of considerations from rights teams about corruption and human rights abuses.
