Bottom Line Up Front
Today’s verdict: Tuesday belongs to the ball and the ballot — Uruguay stumbled to a draw and Argentina open their title defense tonight, Colombia heads to the Azteca tomorrow even as its own election enters a tense blackout week, and Mexico City’s teacher standoff hardened as the government moved to go around the union.
World Cup, week two. Uruguay needed a late Maxi Araujo equaliser to draw Saudi Arabia 1-1; Argentina open against Algeria tonight in Kansas City, with Messi set for a record sixth World Cup; and Colombia make their debut tomorrow at the Estadio Azteca — the same downtown as the teachers’ camp.
Colombia’s blackout week. Both campaigns closed Sunday with De la Espriella still ahead in the final polls. He has alleged that armed groups are pressuring his voters in Cauca and Nariño, while Cepeda has filed complaints against him — raising the stakes for a charged June 21.
Mexico City’s teachers harden. The union freed highway toll booths across the capital and 20-plus states on Monday; the government signalled it will bypass the leadership with a school-by-school consultation, and the union demanded a formal reply and warned of escalation.
