President Claudia Sheinbaum has assured Mexicans that the World Cup opening in Mexico City will be peaceful despite large teacher protests across the capital. The teachers' union has threatened demonstrations at Thursday's Mexico vs South Africa match over pay and pension demands, and hundreds from Ayotzinapa have joined calls for justice for 43 disappeared students. Police reported finding 59 homemade explosive devices on a bus convoy, while barricades and police deployments aim to secure the fan zone and key squares.
Sheinbaum Vows Peaceful World Cup Kickoff Amid Large Teacher Protests and Security Concerns
Protestings teachers stormed the eduation ministry on June 1 (Alfredo ESTRELLA)(Alfredo ESTRELLA/AFP/AFP)
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday she could guarantee the World Cup's opening ceremony will proceed peacefully in Mexico City despite ongoing teacher protests that have disrupted the capital.
"We are going to guarantee... that the celebration of the World Cup is well-executed, in peace and tranquility," Sheinbaum told reporters at her daily press briefing.
Protests and Police Response
A national teachers' union has threatened demonstrations at Thursday's opening match between Mexico and South Africa if the government does not meet demands for higher wages and pension reforms. Police last week used teargas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators near the historic Zócalo square, where officials installed a massive screen for a World Cup fan zone.
The streets around the Zócalo remain closed with metal barricades that the president says are intended to prevent "provocations." Protesters also toppled commemorative statues of players in downtown Mexico City during recent clashes.
Security Concerns
Mexico City police reported discovering 59 homemade explosive devices on a bus convoy entering the capital on Monday, posting a photograph on X showing dozens of small white tubes fitted with fuses. Authorities have not publicly linked the devices to any specific group.
Who Joined The Protests
Hundreds of people from the Ayotzinapa teachers' college — who continue to press for fuller investigations into the 2014 disappearance of 43 students — have joined the demonstrations, broadening the protests' scope and demands.
Impact On Businesses And Tourists
The teachers' sprawling tent camps in the city centre have frustrated businesses and raised concerns that tourists will avoid Mexico City during the World Cup. "The access to our restaurant is closed off, the people aren't coming, the tourists are freaked out," said 31-year-old waiter Jonathan Herrera, who protested the encampment.
Some tourists voiced sympathy with demonstrators: "No government likes their city to look real during big events," said U.S. visitor Heather Lutz. At the encampment, teacher Dinora Diaz called the tournament "the ideal moment to generate pressure" to win concessions from the government.
Negotiations Over Pensions
Sheinbaum's administration outlined proposals to the teachers on Monday, including creating a state-owned company to administer pensions. Officials rejected calls to reverse recent pension laws, saying such a move would cost roughly $400 million.
The teachers have rejected the government's offers so far. Secretary of Governance Rosa Icela Rodríguez urged strikers to lift blockades, saying: "It's fundamental that the legitimate exercise of the right to protest can coexist with the rights of those who live in and move through this great city." Negotiations remain ongoing as authorities balance security for the World Cup and the protesters' demands.
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