The remains of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias ‘El Mencho’ and leader of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), were buried on Monday at the Panteón Recinto de la Paz in Zapopan, Jalisco. The funeral featured a large federal and state security operation, flower crowns with CJNG initials, and a rooster-shaped arrangement. An Italian student was assaulted during the event.
The funeral of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as ‘El Mencho’, took place on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Panteón Recinto de la Paz in the San Juan de Ocotán neighborhood, Zapopan, Jalisco. The body, killed on February 22 in Tapalpa during a joint operation between Mexican and U.S. authorities, was handed over by the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) the previous Saturday to his family in Mexico City.
The funeral procession departed at 11:15 a.m. from the Funeraria La Paz in the San Andrés neighborhood, Guadalajara, in a golden-lined coffin, escorted by dozens of vehicles, Mexican Army elements, and the Guardia Nacional. Upon arrival at the pantheon, a band played the song 'El Muchacho Alegre', a regional tune popularized by artists like Pedro Infante, describing a cheerful and festive man.
The site, a modern funeral park with gardens such as 'La Meditación' and 'La Esperanza', also holds remains of Rafael Caro Quintero’s family members. Hundreds of people arrived, many with faces covered by masks, along with unsigned flower crowns, including one with CJNG initials and another shaped like a rooster, alluding to the nickname 'El Señor de los Gallos' for his alleged interest in cockfights.
A heavy security deployment, including helicopter overflights and armored vehicles like Rhinos, guarded the area since Friday to prevent incidents from rival groups. Outside the pantheon, Laisha Michelle, ‘El Mencho’s daughter, was seen with her husband, Christian Ochoa, alias ‘El Guacho’.
During the burial, an Italian student from the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey on an exchange program in Guadalajara was assaulted for crossing the security line to take photos. He suffered blows that broke two teeth and lost two cameras and his phone, though the equipment was handed over to pantheon staff, according to witnesses.
