World Cup in Mexico: alert for increase in domestic violence

Mobile line registration: 85% will be linked before cuts

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT) expects that between 120 and 130 million cell phones will be registered, which represents about 85% of the total active lines in the country.

Currently there are 144.6 million lines. Ricardo Castañeda Álvarez, general director of Regulatory Policy of the CRT, estimated that between 14 and 24 million will not be registered and will be deregistered as the process progresses.

The suspension process will begin on August 15. Lines ending in 0 will be deactivated first and then in stages until the end of the year, with the aim of avoiding technical saturations.

Castañeda explained that the extension was due to the risk that millions of users would not meet the original deadline, which would have generated operational complications similar to massive saturations in emergencies. He ruled out a new extension of the deadline.

He assured that the registry does not violate privacy because the information is managed by the operators. The main objective is to combat crimes such as extortion, fraud and virtual kidnappings.

Accusations for alleged diversion in social programs

Morena deputies in Mexico City accused PAN legislators of operating an irregular scheme through the sale and purchase of household products, supposedly disguised as a social support program in Tlalpan and Xochimilco.

According to the complaint, those involved acquired items such as water tanks, cisterns, solar heaters, washing machines, mattresses, laptops and screens through a civil association. They would then have resold them at higher prices to the inhabitants of those districts.

Morena spokesperson Paulo García stated that the mechanism included a triangulation of resources where the civil association paid commissions for each product delivered. In addition, legislators would have made profits between the purchase price and the resale price.

The Morenistas pointed out that the products carried names, photographs and partisan colors, which could constitute personalized promotion of public servants, prohibited by Article 134 of the Constitution outside of electoral campaigns.

The complainants announced that they will file complaints with the Electoral Institute of Mexico City so that the facts can be investigated.

For their part, PAN legislators denied the irregularities. They assured that these are operations between individuals through a foundation that sells products at low cost, without public resources.

The case has opened a debate about transparency and oversight of social programs in the capital’s mayors.

The first days of the 2026 World Cup have not generated the economic impact that merchants, restaurateurs and tourism service providers in Mexico expected. Surveys by business organizations reveal that sales remain below expectations, despite the festive atmosphere in the host cities.

Factors such as FIFA restrictions on the use of brands and broadcasts, the high costs of tickets, lodging and consumption, as well as the small number of matches in Mexican territory, have limited the economic impact.

The Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco-Servytur) reported that only 11.6 percent of Businessmen reported an increase in their sales during the first week of the tournament. The National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Canirac) indicated that only half of the restaurants recorded income higher than that of a usual week.

They warn that the consumer remains cautious in their expenses due to the increase in the prices of food and services, which has reduced consumption in recreational activities.

Economic analysts agree that the benefit is concentrated in the host cities and in specific sectors, while small businesses see few changes in their income. They estimate that the impact of the tournament on the Mexican economy will be just 0.2 percentage points, because most of the matches take place in the United States and Canada.

Specialists also point out that many fans choose to follow the games in public spaces or Fan Fest areas, avoiding high expenses on tickets and official products. Although they consider that benefits could still be recorded in the coming weeks, initial expectations about the spill were higher than the results observed so far.