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The killing of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and one of the world’s most wanted drug lords, has triggered a wave of retaliatory violence across Mexico and raised pointed questions about whether the country can safely host World Cup matches this summer.
Oseguera, known as “El Mencho“, was fatally wounded during a dawn military raid on Sunday in Tapalpa, roughly 55 miles (90 kilometers) south of Guadalajara, the Jalisco state capital that is scheduled to host four group-stage games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to The Guardian, he died while being airlifted to hospital.
Within hours of his death, CJNG gunmen blocked close to 100 major roads and attacked National Guard bases across multiple states, killing at least 25 soldiers. More than 70 people died in total over the weekend, and over 200 flights to Jalisco were cancelled or diverted. For the millions of international fans planning trips to Mexico for the tournament, which kicks off on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the violence could not have come at a worse time.
What happened in Guadalajara
Guadalajara and the resort city of Puerto Vallarta were all but shut down on Sunday. Jalisco state Governor Pablo Lemus suspended public transport, in-person schooling, and mass events. Liga MX postponed four professional football matches, including the women’s derby between Chivas and Club América at Estadio Akron – the same venue where Mexico will play South Korea on June 18 and where Uruguay will face Spain on June 26.
An international friendly between Mexico and Iceland, scheduled for Wednesday at the Corregidora Stadium in Querétaro, was also cancelled. The U.S. Embassy issued a shelter-in-place order for American citizens in Jalisco, including Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and Chapala, as well as parts of Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León.
In Puerto Vallarta, residents reported gunshots and columns of black smoke as more than ten vehicles and several businesses were set alight. Prison breaks were also reported. Tourists found themselves stranded, with some American visitors describing the scenes as terrifying. Steve Perkins of Oklahoma told reporters from his hotel room in Puerto Vallarta: “There’s a lot of Americans trapped here.” By Monday, the violence had largely subsided, though The Guardianreported sporadic episodes in several rural municipalities of Jalisco overnight. Mexico’s security minister confirmed that all cartel roadblocks had been cleared by Monday, and airlines were beginning to resume limited service.
What does this mean for the World Cup?
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum moved quickly to reassure international visitors. At her daily press conference on Tuesday, she stated there are “all the guarantees” for the World Cup to be held in Mexico and that there is “no risk” for those attending. “
Little by little the situation in Jalisco is returning to normal,” she said, as reported by The Guardian. A FIFA spokesperson told Reuters on Monday that the organization was “closely monitoring the situation in Jalisco” and remained in “constant communication with the authorities.” FIFA has not announced any changes to the match schedule or venue locations. Under its own tournament regulations, FIFA retains the right to cancel, reschedule, or relocate matches due to safety or security concerns.
Tim Meehan, security director at International SOS, told FOX 4 that while the retaliatory violence was expected, the scale was surprising. He said Mexican authorities are expected to increase their military presence in Guadalajara significantly ahead of the tournament. But Meehan also noted that public perception could be just as damaging as the violence itself, with potential fans thinking twice about the trip.
The CJNG, he pointed out, is not the largest cartel in Mexico, but it is considered the most violent and the best armed. With a leadership vacuum now in place, analysts warn that internal power struggles or encroachment by rival groups like the Sinaloa Cartel could provoke further instability in the coming months.
Sheinbaum pushed back against comparisons between this operation and the broader “war on drugs” strategy pursued by former president Felipe Calderón two decades ago. “A situation arose in which, during the arrest of a member of an organized crime group who had an arrest warrant out against him, members of the army were attacked and responded, and he died during transport,” she told reporters. “We’re looking for peace, not war. That is the difference.” Whether that distinction holds up over the next four months, with the eyes of the football world turning toward Mexico, remains to be seen.