El Pirata De Culiacan trends again after the death of 'El Mencho'
The name el pirata de culiacan has surged across social media after the confirmed death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, "El Mencho, " on February 22, 2026, during a federal operation in the sierra of Jalisco. The renewed attention ties a viral insult to a killing that ripped through Mexico’s online culture in 2017.
How a seconds-long video sealed a fate
Juan Luis Lagunas Rosales, known online as El Pirata, rose to viral fame in 2017 at age 17 while claiming a lifestyle of weapons, alcohol and luxury cars; he was from Villa Juárez, Sinaloa. In a video captured under the influence, he aimed a crude insult at the leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, saying, "El Mencho a mí me pela la ve*ga" in front of the camera. Days later, on December 18, 2017, he was in the bar Menta2 Cántaros in Zapopan, Jalisco, when a gunman group entered and fired between 15 and 18 bullets, killing him instantly.
El Pirata De Culiacan back in the spotlight
With the fall of El Mencho on February 22, 2026, the name El Pirata De Culiacan reappeared in online conversations. Thousands of users reacted with phrases such as "Por fin vengado" and "Ya se encontraron en el cielo, " framing the moment as a direct closure to the episode that began with the 2017 insult and the December shooting in Zapopan. For many, the thread now connects a single viral clip to a lethal act that never reached a formal trial.
Other creators who drew deadly attention
The case of El Pirata sits alongside other high-profile killings of digital figures. Valeria Márquez, a fashion and lifestyle influencer, had her name enter investigations and media coverage for alleged sentimental ties with CJNG members before she was killed. Kevin Kaletry was shot to death during a press conference in Mexico City, an attack that unfolded in front of cameras and journalists. Another creator, known as El Pinky, often posted footage of parties and luxury environments linked to presumed members of organized crime and was also killed amid the violence surrounding rival groups.
Authorities have noted that the expansion of social platforms coincided with the growth of CJNG, and that some creators who displayed extreme wealth, weapons and proximity to criminal figures became targets. Investigations in various cases have been opened; the Fiscalía de Jalisco was involved in the probe related to El Pirata, and media accounts identified a name considered key in the events that ended the young influencer's life.
What El Mencho's fall could mean for public figures
The death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes marked a significant blow to the cartel tied to many of these incidents. Analysts cited in coverage warned that the cartel’s fragmentation could spark new fights over routes and territories, a shift that could raise the stakes for public figures whose images have been linked — confirmed or not — to organized crime. The digital exposure that boosted several influencers also made them visible targets in a volatile landscape.
Investigations into past killings remain open, and authorities in Jalisco continue inquiries tied to the 2017 Zapopan attack that killed Juan Luis Lagunas Rosales. As social feeds react to events in the sierra of Jalisco, prosecutors and investigators have said they will continue pursuing leads in the cases connected to the wave of violence involving creators and alleged cartel figures.
