[Saba Sports News] Mexican police in Mexico City, the nation’s capital, recently discovered 59 explosive devices on a bus heading to a protest site, a fact confirmed by the Interior Ministry. Deputy Minister Medina stated: “We support peaceful demonstrations, but we will not tolerate the use of explosives that endanger public safety.” For days on end, members of the radical teachers’ union CNTE have been protesting against the controversial pension reform in Mexico City, home to 23 million residents. They are also demanding substantial pay hikes and improved working conditions. Major traffic arteries have been blocked, and a large tent camp has been set up in the historic city centre. Violent clashes broke out last week. Protesters attacked the Ministry of Education building with broken lampposts and set fires, prompting police to deploy tear gas. The demonstrators aim to leverage the global spotlight on the World Cup to pressure the government. So far, the Mexican authorities have adopted a conciliatory approach and refrained from tough crackdowns ahead of the tournament. Nonetheless, tensions remain high, and more large-scale protests have been announced ahead of the opening match.
The editor believes that around five million visitors will come to watch the matches, with roughly 100,000 security personnel on duty. Host nation Mexico will take on South Africa at the Azteca Stadium on Thursday. However, the discovery of explosive devices shows that the atmosphere ahead of the game is far from calm.