At least 30 floral arrangements—including three roosters and three saint figures standing approximately two meters tall, as well as a life-sized horse—arrived at the Recinto de la Paz cemetery in Zapopan, Jalisco, to mark the birthday of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Oseguera Cervantes, who died in February 2026 during an arrest operation conducted by the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) in Tapalpa, Jalisco, would have turned 60 on July 17, 2026. Some of the floral arrangements were shaped like roosters, alluding to the nickname “El Señor de los Gallos” (The Lord of the Roosters), by which the CJNG kingpin was also known. Others referenced Saint Jude Thaddeus.
The arrangements—transported by crane due to their size—began arriving at the site shortly after 9:00 a.m., with the last one arriving around 2:00 p.m. The cemetery, located at the intersection of Santa Margarita and Aviación avenues in Zapopan, closes its gates at 3:00 p.m. A musician also arrived during the afternoon, stating he would perform at the cemetery, though he did not specify for which family. A Zapopan police patrol entered the cemetery to conduct security checks.
After dying during his arrest in Tapalpa, Oseguera Cervantes’s remains were held for a wake in eastern Guadalajara before being transferred to the private cemetery in Zapopan, where he was buried.
The CJNG leader’s grave has attracted frequent visitors since then. On March 3, 2026, cemetery visitors reported the presence of armed men taking photographs beside the grave, despite the presence of municipal security personnel at the site. Subsequently, on April 2 of that same year, another complaint was filed regarding alleged lookouts in the vicinity of the cemetery.
The General Strategic Security Coordinator, Roberto Alarcón Estrada, acknowledged that the cemetery administration allows the entry of individuals who leave floral arrangements at the grave.
“Other people do indeed come to leave floral arrangements at the grave, and the cemetery administration permits this. While photos and videos do exist, they are taken by the individuals themselves—who snap pictures for their own purposes after leaving an arrangement,” the official noted.
