I have just reviewed this case again, which resurges every time there are movements in the drug trafficking world in Mexico. The story of the pirate from Culiacán is one of those that shows how quickly everything can change in this country.

It all started because this guy, Juan Luis Lagunas Rosales, went viral on social media before turning 18. He posted videos from Culiacán showing parties, regional Mexican music, alcohol consumption, that kind of content that was booming on Facebook and Instagram at the time. He reached almost 800,000 followers. Local artists even dedicated corridos to him. He was the typical case of a young person who became famous out of nowhere on the internet.

But here is where it gets dark. On November 9, 2017, the pirate from Culiacán uploaded a video directly insulting the leader of CJNG, 'El Mencho.' The phrase was quite direct. The video went viral, but the guy kept going as if nothing happened, without changing his behavior or content. That was a mistake.

Exactly 39 days later, on December 18, 2017, he entered the Menta2 Cantaros bar in Zapopan, Jalisco. He had done a live broadcast hours earlier inviting people to come. When he arrived, he was with a group of people, including Roberto González and Benjamín López. According to accounts from those present, as soon as four armed individuals entered the place, they headed straight toward the pirate from Culiacán. He received at least 15 gunshot wounds to the head, arms, and chest. The bar owner was also injured and died afterward.

Witnesses said everything happened very quickly. They threw themselves to the floor when they heard the gunshots; no one saw the faces of the attackers. The pirate from Culiacán tried to take cover behind the bar owner, but they cornered him in a corner. The interesting thing is that only he died. Those with him were not touched, which suggests the attack was specifically targeted at him.

The official hypothesis was that it could have been retaliation for insulting the CJNG leader, but authorities never officially confirmed it. The prosecutor at the time said that multiple lines of investigation were being analyzed. There are versions pointing to 'El Tripas,' a cartel lieutenant, as responsible for the revenge.

This case of the pirate from Culiacán became one of the most remembered acts of violence against viral figures in Mexico. It shows how dangerous it can be in certain contexts to produce that kind of content or public insults. The boy was 17 years old when he died. Everything changed because of a video he probably thought was just entertainment.