In a significant transformation for central Mexico, a ranch once linked to convicted drug kingpin Edgar Valdez Villarreal, known as “La Barbie,” is set to become a high school and health complex in Atlacholoaya, Morelos. Governor Margarita González Saravia announced this initiative, highlighting its potential to benefit the local community by addressing educational needs and promoting health services. This conversion will bring a technological agricultural high school, a center for traditional medicine, and an office focused on supporting Indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities to an area long in need of educational infrastructure.
The new school, referred to by its Spanish initials CBTA, will offer a curriculum that embraces traditional medicine and the ancestral wisdom of Morelos’ Indigenous peoples. This change addresses a pressing demand for secondary education in the region, promising to empower youth with knowledge rooted in their cultural heritage. Construction and renovation are expected to commence shortly, marking a hopeful new chapter for the property.
Authorities had previously seized the ranch after the death of Valdez’s associate, Arturo Beltrán Leyva, during a Navy operation in 2009. The property was managed by the federal institution tasked with handling assets obtained from criminal enterprises. In 2021, El Paraíso was part of a National Lottery raffle aimed at funding social programs, where it was valued at around 61 million pesos, but the initial winner declined to accept it due to its poor condition and high maintenance costs.
Instead, the Morelos government later purchased the ranch, making a fresh start possible in an area burdened by an unsettling past. Valdez, known for his striking appearance, was arrested in 2010 and extradited to the United States, where he received a lengthy prison sentence for his crimes, shedding light on the deep-rooted issues surrounding drug trafficking in the region. This development signals a positive direction for the community, fostering educational and health opportunities while moving away from a history marked by violence and crime.