Guadalajara protesters accuse Hyundai of hiding behind World Cup
GUADALAJARA, Mexico — As Mexico beat South Korea in front of a jubilant crowd at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday, protesters outside expressed a very different view of the World Cup’s impact on the city.
Community leaders, climate advocates and workers took to the streets to protest what they described as “greenwashing through sport” by one of the World Cup’s official sponsors over allegations of supply chain irregularities.
Organizers of the protest argue that Hyundai-Kia should hold its supplier Ternium responsible and give it a “red card”. Protesters accuse Ternium of human rights abuses, including its alleged involvement in the disappearance of two environmental activists.
The demonstrations started at 17:00 with a rally held in Plaza de la Liberación. Participants attempted to draw attention to missing cases in Guadalajara, stating that Ternium went missing after protesting iron ore mining activities.
Mariachis carry posters in memory of two environmental activists who disappeared in Guadalajara: lawyer and human rights defender Ricardo Lagunes Gasca and Nahua community leader and activist Antonio Díaz Valencia.
(Courtesy of Fair Steel Coalition)
A 2025 report by environmental group Mighty Earth criticized Hyundai’s involvement in what it described as a “dirty steel supply chain” as the South Korean automaker is one of the main buyers of Ternium’s iron ore for use in steel production. Ternium has been the target of sustained criticism from activist groups for its devastating environmental impact and corporate governance policies, as well as the disappearance of activists Ricardo Lagunes Gasca and Antonio Díaz Valencia in Mexico three years ago.
While Ternium did not respond to the protesters’ claims, Hyundai made a statement.
“Hyundai is committed to demanding that our suppliers meet the highest standards and we enforce a strict Supplier Code of Conduct. Both we and our subsidiaries continue to conduct ongoing training, audits and due diligence processes throughout the supply chain to identify and address potential issues across all our global operations,” said Michael Stewart, Hyundai’s director of communications.
Protesters carried banners bearing the names and photos of disappeared environmentalists.
More than 130,000 people have disappeared in Mexico over the past 20 years, according to the National Registry of Missing and Missing Persons. While the kidnappings have been linked to conflicts with drug cartels and corrupt government officials, there have also been cases involving young women working in many factories in the country.
Protesters hold banners with images of missing environmental activists ahead of Mexico’s World Cup match in Guadalajara.
(Fair Steel Coalition)
“[Hyundai] It is trying to clean up its image with its World Cup sponsorship. But the facts are clear: Hyundai has been linked to human rights and environmental violations in Mexico, Brazil, the United States and other countries. Diana Figueroa, a representative of the Fair Steel Coalition, one of the organizers of Thursday’s protests, said partnering with steel suppliers like Ternium loses the credibility of the slogan “doing what’s right for humanity.” The disappearances of half a dozen environmental activists in southern Mexico and deadly air pollution in Rio de Janeiro and Monterrey were attributed to Ternium, he said.
The group plans to stage more protests throughout the World Cup.
On July 5, a symbolic football match and concert will be held at Fundidora Park in Monterrey to protest Ternium’s position as one of the companies that pollutes the city the most.
Protests ahead of the World Cup quarter-final match in Los Angeles on July 9 will focus on alleged human rights and labor rights violations in Hyundai’s supply chain. child labor, labor trafficking And documented prison labor.
Protesters also questioned Hyundai’s use of robots at World Cup venues and the impact of the tournament on local workers, including allegations of labor exploitation and rising housing costs in host cities. Public Citizen and Jobs to Move America have demanded transparency from Hyundai about the type of data collected by robots at World Cup stadiums.
In response to the data collection allegations, Hyundai said in a statement that it was focusing on its “Next Starts Now” campaign, in which it “uses mobility, robotics, technology and engagement programs to connect people with the excitement of the event.”
