GUADALAJARA: Mexican authorities are trying to stop Colombians linked to local cartels from using the World Cup to enter the country, a security official in Jalisco, one of the tournament’s host states, told AFP on Thursday.
People “have come to be recruited by the cartels,” said Roberto Alarcon, Jalisco’s general coordinator for strategic security, citing the growing trend of Colombian ex‑soldiers and former guerrillas joining organized crime groups.
Alarcon said security agencies have already turned back several Colombians who could not justify their stay, warning that foreign recruits may try to enter Jalisco using tourist packages as the World Cup approaches.