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Mexico assures World Cup inauguration will be 'peaceful and calm' despite protests
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

Mexico assures World Cup inauguration will be 'peaceful and calm' despite protests

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum assured that the 2026 World Cup inauguration will proceed peacefully despite planned protests.
  • She stated her government will not respond with repression to provocations during demonstrations by various groups, including teachers and families of the disappeared.
  • The government aims to project a positive image of Mexico internationally through the tournament, while navigating potential tensions around a historical day of remembrance.

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged that the 2026 World Cup inauguration will be a peaceful event, even amidst planned protests in the capital. She assured that her government will not resort to repression against any provocations during the demonstrations.

Also we are going to guarantee at the same time that the celebration of the World Cup inauguration goes well in peace and quiet.

— Claudia SheinbaumDuring her morning press conference, the president affirmed that federal authorities are working to ensure the normal development of events related to the tournament.

Authorities are working to ensure the normal proceedings of the tournament, while acknowledging the ongoing mobilizations. The National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE) is protesting for better wages and pensions. Additionally, groups of mothers searching for disappeared persons, transporters, retirees, farmers, and healthcare workers have called for a large demonstration near the Mexico City stadium, where the opening match will take place.

Sheinbaum indicated that certain sectors aim to create confrontations and project an image of government repression internationally. "There are groups that want to provoke us," she stated, adding that their goal is to make international headlines about Mexican government repression. The president emphasized her administration's commitment to dialogue and avoiding repressive measures, vowing not to fall into provocations.

There are groups that want to provoke us. And they are not necessarily teachers. That is, what they seek is that there be repression (...) What they are looking for is that before the World Cup inauguration, the international news is that the Mexican government represses teachers.

— Claudia SheinbaumShe added that some sectors seek to generate confrontations with authorities and project an image of repression internationally.

Mexico is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with the United States and Canada, and the federal government views the tournament as a chance to showcase a positive national image. Sheinbaum also noted the proximity to the June 10 commemoration of the 1971 student repression, warning that this context could be used to generate tensions, but reiterated that authorities will not respond with violence. The government will continue monitoring the situation before making further security and organizational decisions.

We are not going to fall into provocations, we are not going to fall. And we are going to look for the best schemes to guarantee tranquility.

— Claudia SheinbaumThe president emphasized that her administration will maintain its strategy of dialogue and avoid responding with repressive measures.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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