Rosalba Camacho made the trip to Tijuana from Queretaro to see her son participate in the National Football (soccer) Inclusion tournament which spanned five days; from March 21, 2022, to the 25. Her son is a player of Gallos Smiling, an extension of Queretaro FC that gives kids with special needs and disabilities the opportunity to enjoy football. However, the joy of seeing her son play in a national tournament soon turned into feelings of anger and confusion. As Gallos Smiling played their match, they were met with spectators yelling, calling the Smiling players ‘assassins’ and ‘killers’ for using Queretaro FC jerseys. Rosalba soon took to Facebook to express her frustration, calling those that yelled at her son ‘ignorant’ and ‘inept’.
Just 16 days prior to the incident with Rosalba, La Corregidora, Queretaro’s home stadium bore witness to some of the ugliest scenes in Mexican soccer. Queretaro received Atlas for the 9th matchday of the 2022 Liga MX Clausura season. Ironically named “Grita por la paz” which is Spanish for “scream for peace”.
What Really Happened?
Sacramento Garcia, a Queretaro local, journalist, and collaborator of Queretaro FC news page, Marcaje Gallos, made his way to the stadium early. “The stadium was empty for the most part, except for the north end which fits approximately 4,000 fans and the Northwest end which held around 500 Atlas fans surrounded by metal cages.” says Sacramento.
The game began as Atlas and Queretaro reached a goalless draw. Early into the second half, one could see the unrest on the stands of the stadium. Queretaro and Atlas fans invaded the pitch before being suspended in the 62nd minute.
What ensued were horrible images of violence as Atlas and Queretaro fans began to violently beat each other. Families frantically looked for exits to avoid being caught in the violence. Videos soon began to surface online where Atlas fans laid in their own blood, unconscious and completely naked. Sacramento recalls seeing about 10 Atlas fans leave their supporters section right before the chaos to start a fight with the Queretaro supporters.
“All the chaos was on the lower levels of the stadium,” says Sacramento. “Everyone ran to the pitch. People started to take pictures, some started playing soccer on the pitch, they even cut the net of one of the goal nets with a knife they brought into the stadium. Most of the families attending that were Atlas fans ran to the pitch for safety as well.”
Sacramento said the security was so scarce that “they disappeared into the chaos below”.
Sacramento shared videos of the turmoil through his own recordings while he was live on the Marcaje Gallos Facebook page. In it, people run through the bottom tiers in a frenzy to join in on the violence. The pitch completely covered by people taking photos or looking for people they lost in the chaos up above.
“The atmosphere after that was somber, a lot of us received threats through social media and WhatsApp.” Sacramento recalls. “It was a topic that was being discussed in banks, restaurants, and schools. The people of Queretaro know that the violence doesn’t represent the city or the state. We continue to demand that authorities find the perpetrators and we reach the very last consequences”.
Stadium violence is not a foreign topic in Mexican soccer. A study conducted by Mexican journalist Ivan Perez spells out a huge problem in the Liga MX. Every 4.7 weeks there is an act of violence in Mexican soccer. Starting from the Clausura 2018 tournament, there have been 31 violent instances in 37 months since then.
“There was already a certain tension between Atlas and Queretaro fans before the game”, says Yeudiel Pacheco. Yeudiel is a football commentator and sports journalist in Toluca, Mexico. “When Queretaro was on the verge of relegation in 2005, they had to visit Atlas in Jalisco for their final game, they needed three points. Atlas won and Queretaro found themselves relegated. Years later, the opportunity for vengeance came for Queretaro fans” Yeudiel recalls.
“These types of rivalries always grow beyond football and the topic of barras (hooligan supporter groups) has always been a controversial one. You always see it in Brazil”.
The horrific scenes spread like wildfire as people waited for an answer, as to who was to blame for the traumatizing display of violence.
Is Queretaro Really A Dangerous City?
“I’m originally from Michoacan, I wasn’t able to walk the streets at night. I’m not scared at all in Queretaro”, says Omar Sanchez. Omar moved from the state of Michoacan over to Queretaro with his mom and brother in search of better economic opportunities. “Wages here are higher and it is way safer here. I would never make my current salary back in Michoacan.” In fact, Milenio.com ranks Queretaro as the 3rd highest state with the best salaries across Mexico with an average salary of $15,160 MXN a month. That translates to roughly $742 USD a month.
“Everything after was calm”, says Omar. “The city did not bring out any more police. There was a concert set to happen in La Corregidora but it was canceled because of the game.”
So what is the root of the violence in La Corregidora? More importantly, who is to blame?
“From the moment they contract a security team that lacks the capacity to react to these incidents, the board is all to blame.” says Sacramento. “They meet with the barra and allow them special privileges, such as bringing in their instruments. From that moment, the total lack of authority is their fault.” Moreover, Queretaro’s board of directors has an obligation to meet with the local government to assure there will also be a police force present. This is a mandate by the Liga MX, a protocol that Queretaro broke previous to the match.
However, real discrepancies surfaced in the aftermath of the violence. The initial reports coming out of Queretaro were reporting 17 deaths. A video of an Atlas fan began to circle around Twitter, claiming he came to La Corregidora with his friend, before being beaten, stripped of his clothes and killed in front of his eyes. When the bigger news publications began to pick up on the story, they reported no deaths with 26 injuries, one of them in critical condition.
Nonetheless, the videos of people laying completely naked in a puddle of blood created a different narrative online. It resembled a cartel execution, violent death put on display for everyone to see.
What Were the Repercussions?
Liga MX president, Mikel Arreola came forward to promise that they were working to punish “those responsible for the lack of security in the stadium”. Queretaro’s governor, Mauricio Kuri assured “The company that owns Queretaro FC and its institutions must answer for what has occurred”.
Arreola and the Liga MX board of directors barred Queretaro’s board for five years from the organization, making sporting director Adolfo Rios take charge of the institution. Furthermore, Queretaro has completed its year-long ban after completing a year without fans. The supporters’ group, was barred from attending matches for two more years. Queretaro paid a fine of $1,300,000 MXN.
The events in Queretaro stand as a stain in Mexican soccer and its history. A country so devoted to the sport shook to its core as FIFA and the world watched. Mexico will share hosting duties with Canada and the United States for the 2026 World Cup. What precedents the Federation of Mexican Football sets in terms of safety will set the tone for the next World Cup in three years.