Who Was El Pirata De Culiacán? Answers to the Tragic Story That Shook Mexican Social Media
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
The breaking point came in late November 2017. During an extended binge alongside friends, an intoxicated Lagunas was handed a smartphone connected to a live audience. When someone in the room mentioned the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the teenager grinned recklessly, turned to the camera, and declared: "A mí, El Mencho, me pela la verga" (a crude phrase meaning the drug lord meant nothing to him).
The room went quiet. Someone quickly reached over and jerked the camera away, ending the stream. But the clip was instantly downloaded, mirrored across YouTube, and clipped into hundreds of short reaction videos. In the underworld controlled by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, public humiliation carries a fatal price. Unlike older capos who maintained low profiles, CJNG enforces brutal discipline and absolute intolerance for public slights, particularly within its home territory of Jalisco.
Close acquaintances later told local media outlets that Lagunas received multiple anonymous warnings over social media direct messages urging him to flee the country or release a public apology. Convinced his internet fame made him untouchable, the teenager dismissed the threats, continuing his nightlife routine across western Mexico.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
