Violence in the Mexican league match between Queretaro and Atlas influenced by Argentina’s vicious barras bravas thugs
Mexico is not South America. It is in a different hemisphere. Buenos Aires and Mexico City are further apart than London and Mumbai.
But there is a South American touch to the scenes of savagery in the Mexican league on Saturday, when the match between Queretaro and Atlas was suspended amid ferocious battles between rival fans which left many wounded, and, according to reports, some deaths.
There is a strong influence from the North, as well. As Tim Marshall explains in his masterful ‘Prisoners of Geography,’ perhaps Mexico’s biggest problem comes from its role in “satisfying the Americans’ voracious appetite for drugs.”
Since the USA clamped down on the Colombian cartels, more drugs have been moved through Mexico, corrupting almost everything in their path.
The Mexican cartels are often better armed than law enforcement – not a recipe for social peace.
As Marshall concludes, “without drugs the country would be even poorer than it is…. with drugs it is even more violent than it would otherwise be.” And Saturday’s crowd violence had some Argentine influence.
Together with much smaller Uruguay, Argentina is the father of much football culture in Latin America.
Players and coaches from Argentina made their way up the Americas, spreading their feel for the game – this had an effect on the way the sport is played, and on the way it is watched.
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Much of the fan culture has an Argentine touch. The chants are an adapted version of stirring songs from Buenos Aires – but something else adapted from Argentina sounds all the wrong notes.
The ‘barras bravas’ – organised groups of football thugs – are a sinister Argentine export. The roots are entirely innocent – clubs are representatives of their communities, so the clubs should help with the expenses of travelling fans.
But from this simple concept has grown a monster – groups who make their living from the club.
The barras bravas authorise muggings and tax street sellers around the stadium, they tout tickets, shake down players and in some cases are even reported to receive a percentage of transfer fees.
They also serve as a rent-a-mob for others who want to hire their services. They develop political contacts, make friends in high places and get involved in other criminal schemes – such as drug rackets.
They can fight for turf and fight for pleasure. Some of the violence in Argentine football is from fights within supporters of the same club – there are no elections or shareholders meetings of barras bravas, so use of violence is a way to rise within the organisation.
This is one reason for the current ban on away fans in Argentina – the authorities have enough problems just trying to control supporters of the home side.
And this culture has been taken to Mexico. Some of the Argentine thugs have even travelled north to give talks on how to make a living from the activity.
And in the free for all of Mexican society, perhaps the scenes of Saturday are tragic but not so surprising.