Mexico safety concerns rise after deadly pyramid attack, president responds

Mexico’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup person travel nether renewed scrutiny aft a deadly shooting astatine the Teotihuacan pyramids connected Monday, April 20, prompting President Claudia Sheinbaum to admit gaps successful information and telephone for stronger measures up of the tournament. The attack, which took spot little than 3 months earlier the World Cup begins, has raised nonstop concerns astir visitant information arsenic Mexico prepares to big matches alongside the United States and Canada.

What happened astatine Teotihuacan

The shooting occurred soon aft 11:30 a.m. section clip astatine the Pyramid of the Moon successful Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located astir an hr from Mexico City and 1 of the country’s astir visited tourer attractions. A lone gunman opened occurrence from the apical of the pyramid portion dozens of tourists were present, firing 14 shots astatine civilians arsenic good arsenic National Guard subject police, according to Mexican officials. One Canadian tourer was killed and 13 others were wounded. Those taken to infirmary included six US citizens, 3 Colombians, 2 Brazilians, 1 Russian and 1 Canadian. The victims ranged successful property from six to 61. Video footage circulating successful section media showed radical ducking for screen arsenic gunshots rang out, with the attacker disposable lasting connected apical of the structure.

Authorities aboriginal confirmed that the gunman, identified arsenic 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A firearm, weapon and ammunition were recovered from his belongings.

Security officials said the onslaught “wasn’t spontaneous,” with Mexico State authoritative Jose Luis Cervantes Martinez stating that the fishy “made preliminary visits connected aggregate occasions to the archaeological site, stayed successful hotels adjacent the tract up of time, and from determination planned his convulsive acts.”

Government effect and admittance connected information gaps

Speaking astatine her greeting property league successful Mexico City connected Tuesday, April 21, Sheinbaum said the tract lacked capable safeguards to forestall specified an attack. “Evidently, we request to tighten security,” she said, adding that authorities indispensable guarantee “someone can’t participate an archaeological site, a tourer site, with a firearm.” She described the shooting arsenic “an isolated incident,” portion besides acknowledging the request for contiguous action. “Our work arsenic a authorities is to instrumentality the due measures to guarantee that a concern similar this does not hap again,” Sheinbaum said. “But clearly, we each know, Mexicans know, that this is thing that had not antecedently taken place.”

The incidental triggered questions from reporters the pursuing greeting astir the country’s readiness to big planetary visitors during the World Cup.

Wider context: World Cup readying and existing concerns

Mexico is acceptable to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the United States and Canada, with the tourney moving from June 11 to July 19.

The United States volition big 78 of the 104 matches, portion Mexico and Canada volition each big 13. Mexico’s opening lucifer volition instrumentality spot successful Mexico City connected June 11, wherever the nationalist squad is scheduled to look South Africa successful a repetition of the 2010 opener. The state volition big 13 matches crossed 3 cities:

The Teotihuacan tract itself was expected to beryllium a cardinal destination for visiting fans, located adjacent to the superior and drafting much than 1.8 cardinal planetary visitors annually.

Just days earlier the attack, section lawmakers had pushed to revive a nighttime interactive airy amusement astatine the pyramids for World Cup tourists, a task that had been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The shooting comes aft earlier concerns astir security, peculiarly pursuing a surge successful cartel-related unit successful February linked to the decease of cause lord “El Mencho” (Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes).

Security measures and FIFA’s presumption

Mexican authorities person already outlined extended information plans for the tournament. The authorities has committed to deploying 100,000 information unit nationwide, with a absorption connected big cities Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Officials person besides confirmed the usage of much than 2,000 subject vehicles, on with drones, craft and reinforced information perimeters astir stadiums, airports and transport routes. “As you tin see, we are precise prepared for the World Cup,” Sheinbaum said successful March.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has besides backed Mexico’s readiness, saying: “I privation to accidental from the outset that we person full assurance successful Mexico, successful President Claudia Sheinbaum, successful the authorities, and we are convinced that everything volition crook retired successful the champion imaginable way.” He added: “As successful each state successful the world, things happen, which is wherefore we person states, constabulary and authorities who volition guarantee bid and security… from FIFA’s side, I person implicit confidence.”

Where things basal

The Teotihuacan shooting has not changed the World Cup schedule, but it has placed renewed absorption connected security, peculiarly astatine tourer sites expected to spot accrued footfall during the tournament. While authorities proceed to contiguous the incidental arsenic isolated, the information that it was planned successful beforehand and carried retired astatine 1 of the country’s astir salient landmarks has raised questions that present beryllium alongside Mexico’s last signifier of preparations.