In August 2010, Edgar Valdez Villarreal, known as 'La Barbie', was arrested during the government of Felipe Calderón. Despite being born in Laredo, Texas, Valdez worked for the Beltrán Leyva Cartel when it was allied with Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán and the Sinaloa Cartel. During his time as a drug trafficker, 'La Barbie' led a luxurious lifestyle and owned several properties in the most exclusive areas of Mexico City.
One of the properties related to 'La Barbie' that gained notoriety in September 2021 was the ranch 'El Paraíso', which was valued at 61 million 430,000 pesos. This extensive land featured various facilities such as stables, a bullring, a zoo, an event hall, an artificial lake, a pool, a gym, among other amenities. Before it was raffled, the local residents requested President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to donate the ranch to turn it into a school, with the president committing to seek other educational alternatives in the region.
After the raffle of properties that included the ranch 'El Paraíso', it was decided that it would be allocated for a new purpose: to host the 'Independent Living Center' to support people with disabilities. This center will be established on the 2.5-hectare property located in Xochitepec, Morelos, which was rescued by the Morelos Government. During the distribution of cards to beneficiaries of the Pension for the Well-being of People with Disabilities, Governor Margarita González Saravia assured that they would receive priority treatment.
Currently, 'La Barbie' is serving a 49-year prison sentence in a high-security prison in Sumter, Florida, United States, after being sentenced in 2018 by a judge in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the ranch that once belonged to the drug trafficker will transition from being a symbol of crime to a space dedicated to supporting people with disabilities in Mexico.
