MEXICO CITY (AP) — Celebrations have run into mounting social tensions in Mexico as the capital prepares to welcome the world in the opening ceremonies of the FIFA World Cup.Mexico, which is jointly hosting the soccer tournament with the U.S. and Canada, is slated to kick off festivities with an inauguration and opening match Thursday in a star-studded event that will set the tone for the rest of the competition.The World Cup comes at a time when Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is walking a political tightrope, navigating a deteriorating relationship with the U.S. in the lead-up to July trade negotiations, political scandals and security concerns following a burst of violence in a host city in February.Pressure has only continued to mount as guests flood into Mexico City, and the government has faced a crescendo of criticisms by protesters and residents who say authorities have prioritized the competition over pressing social needs in the Latin American nation.
“Mexico wants to project an image to the world that doesn’t exactly square with reality,” said Carlos Pérez Ricart, a Mexican political analyst at the Mexican Center for Research and Economic Education. “The World Cup is putting the president in a vulnerable situation … The government is under extreme pressure.”