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There are calls to evacuate tennis stars from Mexico, including Aussie Alex de Minaur, as cartel violence rocks the nation including areas popular with tourists and visitors which are usually free of drug mobs.
The Australian star is due to play in the ATP tournament while his fiance, British star Katie Boulter, is set to appear in the WTA tournament.
Opting not to play in 2025, de Minaur is currently on a 10-match winning streak at the Mexican event and is targeting his third Acapulco title – having won in 2023 and 2024.
The ATP and WTA events are taking place in the Mexican cities of Acapulco and Merida respectively this week.
At least 25 Mexican troops have now died in fighting with drug gangs.
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Mexico has seen a surge in gang violence, not seen for years, after drug lord “El Mencho” – full name Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes – was killed on Sunday during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco.
Oseguera, 59, was considered the last of the drug lords who acted in the brutal mould of the now-imprisoned Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
His death sparked chaos across the country as his cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), sought revenge – with vehicles set alight and gunmen forcing civilians into hiding.
Images have emerged from major tourist destinations, such as Puerto Vallarta, of smoke billowing up from fires in the city as tourists look on from hotels unable to get to the airport.
‘Get everybody out’
De Minaur is due to battle Patrick Kypson in Acapulco on Tuesday, while world No. 4 Alexander Zverev is the top seed.
Former Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini headlines the pack in Merida, in addition to Katie Boulter.
But tennis broadcaster Brett Haber has urged authorities to protect their stars.
The tennis channel commentator wrote on X: “Just left Mexico. Police activity at the airport was insane.
“Polite suggestion to the (APT and WTA) — and to Larry Ellison: get one plane to Acapulco and one to Merida and get everybody out of there — and put them up for an extra week at Indian Wells to train and be safe. This is not a drill.”
Former CEO of tech firm Oracle, Mr Ellison, 81, owns the Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells, near Los Angeles in California, and is has an estimated net worth of $367 billion.
The main draw of Indian Wells is due to begin on March 4.
Acapulco is located around 700km from Tapalpa, where El Mencho was killed. Merida is on the opposite side of the country, around 2250km away.
FIFA World Cup games in doubt
Elsewhere, there are concerns over whether FIFA World Cup games scheduled to be held in Mexico will need to be moved as cartel violence engulfed a popular tourist city and spilled towards the US border.
Safety is of paramount concern in Mexico at the moment and discussion has turned to whether the FIFA World Cup matches set to take place in the country will need to be relocated.
Mexico, the United States and Canada are the joint hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will feature 48 teams for the first time, expanding from the previous 32-team format.
Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey are set to host a total of 13 games, including several group stage matches, with Mexico City to also host a round of 16 fixture.
All four quarterfinals will be held in America, with the final on July 19 at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
FIFA officials are yet to publicly address the situation in Mexico, but the violent and fiery scenes would be concerning to tournament organisers, who will be aiming for the tournament to run smoothly for players and fans.
But the events in Mexico have already prompted speculation about whether games should be held in the USA or Canada.
Mexico has hosted the FIFA World Cup twice before, in 1970 and 1986. This is the first time the tournament is returning to South America since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Mexican troops dead in clashes
AFP has reported that at least 25 Mexican troops have died in clashes with cartel gunmen following the death of Oseguera.
Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said a prison guard, a member of the state prosecutor’s office and 30 suspected members of Oseguera’s criminal organisation had also killed.
Oseguera had a $US15 million (AU$21.3 million) US bounty on his head.
Eight suspected cartel gunmen were killed in the special forces operation to capture him and three soldiers were wounded, Mexican Defence Secretary Ricardo Trevilla said.
Fearful residents went into hiding, and tourists took shelter in their hotels and resorts as cartel members went on the rampage.
The government has sent 2500 troops to Jalisco — a state that is scheduled to host four World Cup soccer games this summer.
The streets of Jalisco’s state capital Guadalajara were almost empty on Monday. Schools, stores, pharmacies and gas stations remained shuttered, all events involving large crowds were cancelled and public transportation was suspended.
The violence has gripped the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, and spread to neighbouring Michoacan state, where Oseguera’s cartel has been waging war against a rival coalition of criminal groups.
‘Shelter in place’
Travel warnings from Britain, Canada and the United States were issued in the fallout, with Australia urging citizens to “exercise a degree of caution” early Monday.
Washington asked US citizens to “shelter in place until further notice.” Dozens of US and Canadian flights were cancelled.
Mexico said in addition to its own military intelligence, the operation to seize Oseguera was carried out with “complementary information” from US authorities.
With AFP
