In an effort to maintain order during the World Cup festivities, Mexico is ramping up police and security personnel around the Zócalo plaza in Mexico City. This decision comes as social unrest and public demonstrations escalate across the capital.
The historic center of the city, which includes key landmarks like the Catedral Metropolitana and the Templo Mayor, is currently under tight security. However, President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration remains committed to keeping Zócalo accessible during the tournament.
Local media reports indicate that as many as 100,000 fans are anticipated to gather at the official fan festival for Mexico’s opening match against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium on Thursday, raising alarms about safety in a city experiencing widespread protests.
Various groups, including teachers, judges, animal rights advocates, and the families of Mexico’s 130,000 missing individuals, have been actively protesting in the capital this week. This wave of dissent reflects deep-seated grievances within the community.
On Friday, teachers affiliated with the CNTE union, who are demanding improved working conditions, brought traffic to a halt. Concurrently, some protestors managed to breach government facilities and even organized a football match on a street that was blocked off.
Earlier this week, clashes erupted when riot police deployed tear gas against a group of protesting teachers who pushed through barriers set up for the fan festival’s construction.
Teachers’ unions are calling for the suspension of the fan festival, with Pedro Hernandez Morales from CNTE stating that “the ball will not roll” unless their demands are addressed. However, the government shows no signs of conceding to these pressures.
Activist groups have criticized Sheinbaum’s government for prioritizing the World Cup over pressing social issues, such as the cost-of-living crisis exacerbated by increased foreign tourism. The protests are expected to persist throughout the duration of the World Cup.
Sheinbaum plans to attend the opening match at the Zócalo fan festival, having gifted her game ticket to Yolett Cervantes Cuaquehua, a 21-year-old Indigenous woman from Veracruz.
