Concerns are growing ahead of next summer's World Cup after hundreds of bags of human remains were found near the Akron Stadium in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
The World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Akron Stadium scheduled to host four group stage matches.
Among those matches will be Mexico's second in the group, which will be confirmed on Friday when the World Cup draw is made.
The stadium, which is home to Chivas de Guadalajara, is also expected to host the inter-confederation play-offs in March.
New Caledonia will face Jamaica in the semifinals, and the winner will play DR Congo for a place in the World Cup finals.
However, fears have grown in recent weeks for Jalisco as a host city, following the discovery of further human remains in September.
Since 2022, more than 456 bags containing human remains have been found in the areas surrounding Akron Stadium.
According to the Latin Times, José Raúl Servin García, a member of the local research collective, said the latest discovery was made during construction work for a new residential complex.
One of the most affected areas is Las Agujas, where construction workers found 290 bags.
This area is just over 20 kilometers from Akron Stadium.
Discoveries have also been made in Zapopan, less than 10 km from the stadium, and in Tlaquepaque, about 20 km away.
Servin García said: “Now we are around 456 bags, more or less, and all of this is next to the 'Akron Stadium', which is the stadium that will host World Cup matches. Unfortunately, it is painful that a World Cup will be held here while there is so much bad.”
Investigative groups have confirmed that criminal groups are linked to the bodies, while Jalisco is home to one of Mexico's most powerful cartels.
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which operates in the state, has been declared a terrorist organization by President Donald Trump.
It is widely considered one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico and, according to geopolitical analysis firm Stratfor, is "the country's most aggressive cartel."
Earlier this year, thousands of Mexicans marched to draw attention to the more than 130,000 people reported missing nationwide, most since former President Felipe Calderon launched the "war on drugs."
Jalisco leads all Mexican states in the number of disappearances and ranks among the four most problematic in terms of overall crime levels.
According to Mexico's National Investigation Commission, 7,376 people disappeared in Jalisco between 2009 and 2018.
The situation has worsened since then, with another 9,593 disappearances reported between 2018 and 2021, making it one of the worst-hit states in the country.
With disappearances on the rise, questions are being raised about whether the country is adequately prepared to host the World Cup matches in just over six months.
Authorities have announced a series of enhanced security measures, including 3,000 additional surveillance cameras, armored vehicles, metal detectors and National Guard deployments./Express newspaper/
t7 live
