By Mariana González-Márquez
Guadalajara, Mexico (EFE).- Approximately 18,000 state and federal security members, along with advanced technology, including robots, will safeguard the teams, fans, tourists, and executives attending the four World Cup matches held in Guadalajara.
«The technology used to secure the city includes humanoid robots and dogs capable of intervening in potential explosive threats; we will also use radars and anti-drone guns,» Juan Pablo Hernández, Jalisco’s Secretary of Public Security, told EFE on Wednesday.
He added that about 500 units, including patrol cars, armored vehicles, and motorcycles, in addition to four helicopters, will be part of the operation.
The state police will deploy three ‘Cyber truck’ patrols capable of converting into mobile command centers.
«From there, we can transmit data and voice and view urban cameras. We also have several interconnected consultation platforms with other countries that could alert us to any red notice from Interpol,» he stated.
The Secretary announced that the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team received training from the Spanish National Police to neutralize potential threats.
Municipal and state police officers received courses in explosives, crowd control, shooting, and high-impact interventions from the National Police Forces of Colombia, France, Argentina, and the FBI.
The contingent protecting the city and tourist sites in the state of Jalisco will comprise 10,000 municipal and state police officers, National Guard, Army personnel, plus staff from Civil Protection, firefighters, and medical services.
Around 8,000 private security members will patrol a one-mile radius around the Guadalajara Stadium, and others will guard the teams, their base camps, and the three kilometers between the stadium, the FIFA Fan Fest, hotels, and tourist areas.
In February, Jalisco was the epicenter of a wave of violence following the arrest of drug trafficker Nemesio Oceguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which caused the cancellation of mass events such as the 2026 Diving World Cup.
Candelario Hernández, Police Commissioner-in-Chief of Zapopan, announced that a mobile court, a Public Ministry, and Jalisco prosecutor’s office personnel will be available at the Guadalajara Stadium to handle potential vandalism cases.
«We have a court in the stadium vicinity for the swift arraignment of individuals engaging in improper behavior or committing a crime,» he explained.
Guadalajara will host four group stage matches of the World Cup, including Mexico vs. South Korea on June 18 and Uruguay vs. Spain on June 26. EFE
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