{"id":14156,"date":"2026-06-11T16:32:35","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T16:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=14156"},"modified":"2026-06-11T16:32:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T16:32:35","slug":"guadalajara-ramps-up-security-and-promises-safe-world-cup-after-cartel-violence-scare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=14156","title":{"rendered":"Guadalajara ramps up security and promises safe World Cup after cartel violence scare"},"content":{"rendered":"

By TALES AZZONI and DIANA DE LA MORA<\/strong><\/p>\n

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) \u2014 With the World Cup about to begin, heavily armed police and National Guard officers are patrolling the streets of Guadalajara as authorities try to reassure visitors and residents that security won\u2019t be an issue in a city that was rocked by cartel violence earlier this year.<\/p>

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Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, will host four World Cup matches including South Korea against Czech Republic on the opening day Thursday. Mexico is co-hosting the tournament with the United States and Canada.<\/p>\n

Local officials say visitors have nothing to worry about despite the outbreak in violence in February following the Mexican military\u2019s killing of the country\u2019s most powerful cartel boss. The operation and waves of violence killed 70 people as cartel gunmen set fire to cars to block streets and fought with Mexican forces.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to remember that normalcy returned to the state in less than 48 hours after what happened in February,\u201d Alfonso Brise\u00f1o, the security coordinator in Jalisco told The Associated Press in the run-up to the World Cup. \u201cI invite all tourists, all citizens of other countries, especially those who will be playing here in Guadalajara\u2026 They will be welcome. The Mexican government and the state of Jalisco guarantee their safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brise\u00f1o 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.<\/p>\n

Nearly 15,000 security personnel have been deployed in the region, including National Guard officers with assault rifles and vehicle-mounted machine guns near the stadium where the games will be played.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are feeling very safe. We are not concerned about the same issues that we had a few months ago,\u201d said Rodolfo Valencia, a 22-year-old resident of Guadalajara. \u201cYou can see a lot more police on the streets and there is a sense that there won\u2019t 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.\u201d<\/p>

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Jalisco state is the central hub of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, whose leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or \u201cEl Mencho,\u201d was killed in a capture attempt by the military in February.<\/p>\n

Security in Guadalajara will be a special concern for the June 26 match between Spain and Uruguay, when Spain\u2019s King Felipe VI is expected to attend.<\/p>

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