'Shocked' Hong Myung-bo-ho, the head of the Mexican cartel at the World Cup in Hong Myung-bo Team, died → Even the area where Korea is playing... a state of paralysis

*This content was translated by AI.

Will the biggest sports event on earth be held properly. Mexico, co-host of the 2026 FIFA North-China World Cup, has been embroiled in the worst drug cartel violence, raising strong questions about its ability to host the tournament.

Major foreign media such as the British 'BBC' and the 'Guardian' reported on the 24th (Korea time) that "when Nemesio Osegura Cervantes (El Mencho), the head of the Mexican drug cartel Jalisco Next Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed by the military, members who protested against it caused all-out violence across Mexico."

Just months before the opening of the World Cup, there was an unprecedented situation in which national security was paralyzed.

In particular, the safety of the South Korean national team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, is also on alert. Guadalajara is an area where South Korea plays two World Cup games.

The incident began in Jalisco State, which includes Guadalajara, where four World Cup games are scheduled. Members seized buses and taxis, set them on fire, and then occupied the road. In particular, even the only road near Go Kart Stadium and to Estadio Acron, where the World Cup game will be held, was blocked by burning buses.

In fact, it is in a state of paralysis. The state of Jalisco immediately issued a red alert and advised citizens to wait indoors. Even large stores, including Costco in Guadalajara, were targeted for arson and destruction, and four games in the first and second divisions of professional football, including Chivas and Club America's women's club Clasico Nacional, were postponed Sunday. The violence has already spread to more than a dozen regions, and the situation is so serious that 25 members of the National Guard were killed in just 24 hours.

It is nothing short of a foregone conclusion. Mexican authorities initially asked the U.S. not to arrest or kill El Mencho in 2026 for fear of violence and a loss of national image in the World Cup host city.

Even the Mexican soccer community has been traumatized by gun battles that occurred near the stadium in the past. In August 2011, a horror moment was broadcast live around the world as players fled to the locker room and fans hid under seats in a shootout outside the Estadio Corona.

The situation is expected to get worse. Currently, CJNG is known to have military-level weapons capable of shooting down helicopters. According to the Guardian, Mexican expert Professor Javier Escauriaca said, "If you press the cartel, there will always be a counterattack. It will be very difficult to manage the security situation that is spiraling out of control," he warned. The United States has advised its citizens to wait indoors and Canada is canceling flights to Mexico.

Despite this chaos, FIFA remains optimistic. "We have had three years of security cooperation with the Mexican federal government and we are confident that we have a security framework in place for all fans and teams," said Jurgen Mainka, head of FIFA's Mexico bureau.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also stressed that she is "working closely with the police and federal security services" and promised to install thousands of security cameras and introduce anti-drone technology.

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*This content was translated by AI.