Cartel Leader Dead, Soccer Matches Postponed and Security Reviews Under Way
Mexican authorities said a cartel leader was killed Sunday, and the fallout forced the postponement of four high-level soccer matches and prompted public-security checks ahead of major tournaments. The cartel leader dead announcement comes as clubs, the national team and tournament organizers weigh safety and travel disruptions.
Cartel Leader Dead: Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho, " wounded in Tapalpa and died en route to Mexico City
Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, nicknamed El Mencho, who led the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, was wounded in Tapalpa, Jalisco, about a two-hour drive southwest of Guadalajara, and he died while being flown to Mexico City. The action by the Mexican army that left El Mencho wounded triggered immediate unrest across the region.
Four high-level matches postponed after army operation; Queretaro vs. Juarez FC, Chivas vs. America affected
Four high-level soccer matches were postponed Sunday after the Mexican army killed the cartel leader in a town close to Guadalajara. Two top-tier games were postponed: Queretaro vs. Juarez FC in the men's tournament and Chivas vs. America in the women's league. Two additional fixtures in the second division were also called off.
National team friendly at Corregidora in Queretaro remains scheduled; team training continued Monday
Mexico's national team has a friendly against Iceland scheduled for Wednesday at the Corregidora stadium in Queretaro. The Mexican soccer federation has not made any public moves to postpone that friendly, and the team was training as planned on Monday ahead of the game.
Cartel violence spread after the killing: burned cars and blocked roads in nearly a dozen states; CJNG's reach and size noted
Following his death, cartel members burned cars and blocked roads in nearly a dozen Mexican states. The Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación is considered the most powerful in Mexico, with an estimated 19, 000 members and operations spanning 21 of the 32 states. The group has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration.
World Cup and playoff venues put on alert: Guadalajara to host four June games; playoff matches in Guadalajara and Monterrey in March
Jalisco's capital, Guadalajara, is scheduled to host four games in the World Cup in June, including two involving South Korea. Co-host Mexico, Spain, Uruguay and Colombia will also play there. FIFA's inter-confederation playoff for two of the remaining six spots in the World Cup is set to be played in Guadalajara and Monterrey in March, and the world soccer governing body requested a status report on security from the Mexican federation on Monday ahead of the games.
Mexican Open to begin Monday in Acapulco; organizers say tournament operation continues as normal, and a site notice urged browser upgrades
The Mexican Open, an ATP tennis tournament, will begin Monday at the GNP Arena in Acapulco, Guerrero. Organizers issued a statement Sunday saying that "the tournament's operation continues as normal. " Separately, a website notice noted that the site had been built to take advantage of the latest technology to make it faster and easier to use and warned that a reader's browser was not supported, asking users to download a modern browser for the best experience.
Across the soccer calendar and other events, the cartel leader dead has already produced immediate match postponements, travel disruptions and formal requests for security updates as authorities and organizers assess risk.
