Cartel Boss Buried in Golden Casket

The leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was buried Monday in a shiny golden casket with enormous flower wreaths and a large military presence in the state that gave name to one of Mexico's most powerful cartels, the AP reports. A federal official confirmed that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Mencho," was buried in a cemetery in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city. Dozens of people accompanied the funeral procession, many carrying black umbrellas on a sunny day and with a band playing Mexican regional music known as banda. The Attorney General's Office declined to confirm the location of El Mencho's burial for "security reasons." There had been stepped up security since Sunday around a funeral home where large flower wreaths had been arriving without a name. Some did include the image of a rooster in flowers and Oseguera Cervantes was sometimes called the "Lord of the Roosters."

The Mexican army killed Oseguera Cervantes just over a week ago while attempting to capture him. He died from multiple bullet wounds, according to the death certificate obtained by the AP. The certificate specified that Oseguera Cervantes had bullet wounds to his chest, abdomen, and legs. His body was taken to Mexico City where an autopsy was performed and then the body was turned over to his family on Saturday, the Attorney General's Office said in a brief statement. The death certificate also notes that Oseguera Cervantes was to be buried, standard practice in cases of violent deaths to allow for additional forensic evidence to be gathered if needed in the future. The document did not say where the burial would take place.

Authorities' security concerns surrounding the burial location are well founded. Oseguera Cervantes' killing set off retaliation by the cartel in numerous states. More than 70 people died between the military operation and the violence that followed. The government has said that security operations continue against other high-ranking members of the cartel. It customary for an air of mystery to surround the burials of drug lords in Mexico, something their supporters take advantage of to try to elevate them to legend. Within hours of El Mencho's death there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing.