Recommendations of the Editorial team
On Thursday, June 11th, the time has come. The opening game of the World Cup will take place in Mexico – at least that’s what those responsible at FIFA hope. The situation around the stadium could hardly be more critical: blocked access routes and protesting teachers are causing a storm to brew that could also become a problem over the stadium.
Mexico as a host country – with its own problems
Mexico will be the host country for the third time in World Cup history – after 1970 and 1986. But while the USA is working hard to fuel the World Cup with negative headlines, Mexico is struggling with its own problems: teachers are protesting. Thursday has already been declared an official day off for several professional groups in order not to overload traffic – but it doesn’t help. Mexican teachers are once again demanding more money and are taking to the streets to get it.
According to AFP, the protest was organized by a splinter group of the teachers’ union CNTE. The main points of the strike are salaries and the withdrawal of a controversial pension reform. While Mexico considers the demands unfeasible, the protesters are blocking access to the stadiums. Head of State Claudia Sheinbaum then assured that the opening game would “guaranteed” take place on Thursday. In addition, they will not engage in any provocation.
Water cannons, explosives and graffiti
The fact that people do not engage in provocation has already been observed in past protests – water cannons and rubber bullets are not uncommon. But the protesters don’t seem entirely harmless either: the police seized 59 explosive devices during the teachers’ protests. According to “Spiegel”, they have already toppled huge statues of players and immortalized themselves with red graffiti and the sentence: “If there is no solution, the ball won’t roll.” The CNTE has called for a mass demonstration on Thursday to coincide with the start of the World Cup. The government is now faced with the question of how to scare away demonstrators with tear gas without hitting the fans who have traveled. However, water cannons will most likely not be necessary at all – because the weather also creates a doomsday atmosphere.
A storm is coming
As Mexico tries to grab the first three points against South Africa, the skies are said to be in store for hail. There is a threat of a dangerous storm with heavy rain and flash floods – practical for the government, as the demonstrators would then be washed away on their own. The only problem: Who is going to listen to Shakira sing the new World Cup song when everything is swept away by the weather? Luckily there is a mandatory drinking break after 22 minutes. In general, the popcorn mood seems to prevail more before the news broadcasts than during the game broadcast itself – along the lines of: Will the next missile hit Iran’s gate or country first?