Badiraguato, Sinaloa: Narco Museum Under Construction For Narco Traffickers

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

Video translation is as follows:

Azucena Uresti: The mayor of Badiraguato, Sinaloa is proposing to build a narco museum to attract tourism like the Jesús Malverde chapel in Culiacán that brings thousands of national and international tourists every year. Badiraguato is in the debate once again.

Manuel Aceves: The Badiraguato government contends to build a narco museum to attract international tourism and generate jobs.

Mayor José Paz López: From this perspective we can also tell the people. Is this a good thing to be involved in this activity that’s harmful to consume drugs. So, I think that we shouldn’t be afraid of a narco-trafficking museum. On the contrary, we have to see the positive side of things. 

Manuel Aceves: The proposal is from the Morenista mayor José Paz López Elenes and he assures that Badiraguato has already overcome the stigma of the narco and today is one of the safest destinations in the country. It has mountains, valleys, streams, forests and small towns. The goal is to captivate visitors and change the stigma that weighs on the municipality where Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, Ismael El Mayo Zambada, Ernesto Fonseca, Rafael El Caro Quintero, Arturo Beltran Leyva along with his brother Alfredo Beltran Leyva, Miguel Angel Feliz Gallardo El Jefe de Jefes, and Juan Jose Esparragoza El Azul were born. The idea will be subject to consultation but the mayor said that the museum will exhibit the stories of the capos, some of their belongings and their life-size figures.

Mayor Jose Paz Lopez: There is no denying that these are individuals who were born in the municipality and that I don’t personally know them either. Everyone knows about them and we’re not denying anyone the right to be here nor will we deny anyone, there are many curious visitors and no one will deny them entry. 

Manuel Aceves: The museum will be built in the viewpoint of the municipal seat if it is approved by specialists and experts.

Mayor José Paz López: It is a museum that doesn’t have large dimensions but that can have great content. That's why we are employing specialists so that even though it is a small space, it will have great content.

Manuel Aceves: Badiraguato is about to turn 417 years old. And despite the fact that for decades it was the cradle of narco leaders, the mayor assures that things have changed and today it is distinguished by hard-working people who contribute to the region. 

This is Manuel Aceves reporting fom Sinaloa for Azucena at 10. 

Azucena Uresti