Mexico City officials face criminal complaint over fan deaths at World Cup celebration

Mexico City officials face a criminal complaint from the National Action Party (PAN) following the deaths of four football fans during celebrations for Mexico's World Cup victory. The PAN alleges that government negligence in security and crowd management led to the fatalities by asphyxiation on Paseo de la Reforma.

PAN federal deputy Daniel Chimal García criticized the city government, led by Chief of Government Clara Brugada, for failing to implement adequate safety measures. He stated that despite promises of security for the public events, the reality was a failure in Civil Protection protocols, leading to the deaths. "We were told that these activities would be safe, but there are four deceased from asphyxiation, and we see in the images that no security protocol was followed," García commented.

Héctor Barrera, secretary-general of PAN CDMX, highlighted the chaotic situation, noting a lack of police assistance and an overwhelming crowd. He accused the authorities of attempting to downplay the incident and criticized their plans to reinforce security for upcoming events, stating such measures should have been in place from the start. Priscila Vera, a member of the PAN National Executive Committee, urged the city's prosecutor's office to conduct a robust investigation and hold those responsible accountable for the deaths of citizens who trusted the government.

The complaint names Chief of Government Clara Brugada, Secretary of Government César Cravioto, police chief Pablo Vázquez, and heads of risk management, culture, and works departments. The PAN argues that organizing mass events incurs specific obligations regarding civil protection, security, crowd control, evacuation routes, and medical attention, which they claim were neglected.