TAPALPA, Mexico (AP) — Maria Dolores Aguirre’s corner store has lived off the tourism that flows into her cobblestoned town of Tapalpa, tucked away in the mountains of Mexico's state of Jalisco.
Then gunshots erupted and helicopters flew overhead as the Mexican army killed the country’s most powerful drug lord Sunday just a few kilometers (miles) from her home. The killing sparked a surge in violence and put the country on edge.
Now the 50-year-old Aguirre worries that the bloodshed will deal a blow to her livelihood and change towns like hers. Many others in Jalisco are grappling with the same concerns, from the Pacific Ocean beaches to the capital of Guadalajara, which will host matches in June for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“It’s going to affect us. It’s collateral damage,” Aguirre said. “The government is going to have to have a lot of security. … The entire world just saw what happened and, of course, people are going to think twice about coming.”
President offers ‘every guarantee’ for World Cup
In the capital, workers were busy Tuesday fixing up the exterior of the soccer stadium that will host World Cup matches. Cyclists zipped around outside the stadium as the city snapped back to its normal rhythms.
President Claudia Sheinbaum was asked Tuesday at her daily news briefing what guarantees there are that World Cup matches will be held in Jalisco. “Every guarantee," she said, adding that there was “no risk” for fans coming to the tournament.
Also Tuesday, the Portuguese soccer federation said it was “closely monitoring the delicate situation" in Mexico.” Its national team was scheduled to play Mexico’s team in a friendly on March 28 at the newly renovated Azteca Stadium, which is scheduled to host the opening match of the World Cup on June 11.
Mexico was scheduled to play Iceland on Wednesday in a friendly in Queretaro.
Fighting between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and Mexican security forces raged on in a number of states Monday, fueling fears that more violence is to come.
Source: WPLG
