Twenty-four hours before Shakira’s free concert, hundreds of people were seen surrounding the Zócalo plaza in Mexico City and taking photos of the stage, which was being protected by production staff, but not by security personnel, as had been expected after the capture and killing of drug trafficker Nemesio Oseguera “El Mencho” on Sunday, February 22.
Fans of the Colombian singer-songwriter were also looking for options to reserve seats on nearby terraces, which cost over 3,000 pesos per person and include snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. Since Saturday, fans have also been seen camping out and reserving spots, although production staff indicated that the lines are constantly breaking up and extend across several points of the Zócalo.
“I’m coming with my roommate, and the song we’re most looking forward to hearing is ‘Día de enero’,” said Esperanza, noting that this is the fourth concert she’ll be attending in the Zócalo. Regarding the lack of police presence in the Historic Center, she expressed confidence that there would be sufficient security personnel tomorrow, as there are at all the free events in Mexico City.
For his part, Eduardo commented that he feels confident despite the wave of insecurity that erupted after the operation that led to the capture of El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The young man was in Jalisco to attend a concert by the artist Kali Uchis, which was canceled due to the roadblocks and business closures last Sunday.
