Mexico postpones soccer matches after cartel killing

MEXICO CITY, Feb. 23 – Mexico’s top leagues postponed four soccer matches after violence erupted near Guadalajara following the death of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, known as El Mencho, Reuters reported.

The Mexican league said Queretaro vs. FC Juarez in the men’s tournament and Chivas vs. America in the women’s league were postponed, while two second-division games were also called off, according to AP and ESPN.

Violence after operation

Oseguera, head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was wounded in a military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco – about a two-hour drive southwest of Guadalajara – and died while being transported to Mexico City, Reuters and the AP said.

After reports of his death, suspected cartel members set cars on fire and blocked highways across multiple states, disruptions also detailed by Reuters and the AP.

World Cup backdrop

Guadalajara is scheduled to host four World Cup matches in June, and Mexico will co-host the tournament with the United States and Canada, according to the AP and The Independent.

In Puerto Vallarta, tourists posted images of smoke rising over the bay and several airlines suspended flights in the area, Reuters and The Independent reported.

Other events proceed

Organizers of the Mexican Open men’s tennis tournament in Acapulco said the event would start Monday as scheduled under security protocols, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

The Merida Open women’s tournament is also set to begin this week, Reuters noted.

The postponed fixtures were part of the Clausura schedule, and league officials said the top-flight matches were delayed indefinitely, as reported by Al Jazeera and Reuters.

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