Mexican security officials are ramping up measures to prevent suspected Colombian recruits linked to criminal groups from entering the country ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking to AFP, Roberto Alarcon, Jalisco’s general coordinator for strategic security, said authorities are on alert over attempts by foreign nationals to use the tournament as cover to access the country.
People “have come to be recruited by the cartels,” Alarcon said, pointing to what he described as a rising pattern of former Colombian soldiers and ex-guerrilla fighters aligning themselves with organized crime networks in Mexico.
According to him, security personnel have already denied entry to several Colombians who “could not prove the reason they were here.”
He cautioned that as the World Cup draws closer, some individuals may attempt to enter Jalisco under the guise of tourist travel packages.
The state capital, Guadalajara, is among the host cities for the 2026 tournament. Alarcon acknowledged the city’s vulnerability, stating it is “unfortunately a place of interest for certain criminals who try to do their business here.”
He noted that foreign participation in Mexico’s criminal landscape has expanded in recent years, with cartels and armed groups seeking individuals trained during Colombia’s prolonged conflict with guerrilla movements.
In June last year, Mexican forces arrested 10 former Colombian soldiers in neighboring Michoacan after a landmine explosion killed six Mexican troops, an incident authorities say underscores the depth of the recruitment issue.
Analysts attribute the trend partly to the 2017 demobilization of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and reduced defense spending in Bogotá, developments that have driven some ex-combatants to seek opportunities abroad, including within Mexico’s criminal underworld.
Colombian mercenaries have long been in demand globally due to their battlefield experience, having been documented over the past decade in conflicts in countries such as Ukraine, Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq and Sudan.
Within Mexico, most Colombian operatives have reportedly been active in Michoacan, several hours from Guadalajara.
Authorities say they have dismantled cells composed of Colombian nationals specializing in assembling explosives deployed via commercially purchased drones.
As preparations intensify for the 2026 tournament, Guadalajara officials say security will be reinforced with more than 2,000 surveillance cameras, drone monitoring systems, anti-drone units, and coordinated air and ground patrols to safeguard matches beginning in June.
Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city with a population of about 3.5 million, has struggled with high numbers of disappearances and clandestine burial sites compared to other major urban centers like Monterrey and Mexico City.
The city’s main venue, Estadio Akron, can accommodate up to 48,000 spectators and is scheduled to host four World Cup matches, including Mexico’s second group-stage fixture on June 18 against South Korea.
