Morelos to convert seized ‘La Barbie’ ranch into educational center

The government of Morelos will convert the ‘El Paraíso’ ranch, previously seized from organized crime figure Édgar Valdez Villarreal, alias ‘La Barbie’, into a multi-purpose community center. Located in the Atlacholoaya community of Xochitepec, the 2.5-hectare property features over 4,800 square meters of construction and is valued at approximately 61.4 million pesos.

Governor Margarita González Saravia announced that the site will host a Centro de Bachillerato Tecnológico Agropecuario (CBTA), a Center for Traditional Medicine, and the Institute for Indigenous Peoples. The educational facilities aim to address long-standing local demands for better infrastructure and will integrate ancestral knowledge into the curriculum.

The property’s transition involved a unique sequence of events: it was previously managed by the Institute to Return Stolen Goods to the People (INDEP) and was later won in a public lottery by a merchant from Jojutla. Following the lottery win, the individual agreed to sell the property to the Morelos government to facilitate its use for public benefit.