Why is AMLO's ranch in Palenque, Chiapas called “La Chingada”

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) took advantage of the days off for Easter and decided to take a vacation, which he will spend at his ranch called “La Chingada”, which is located in Palenque, to return to his duties as president next Monday.

“This house was built by my mother, we are six brothers and they gave one hectare to each brother, and because I was the oldest I got their house,” said the president in the documentary Esto Soy, which can be found on the YouTube video platform.

The López Obrador ranch has dozens of tropical and timber trees, such as cedars. In addition, you can find different types of birds, and inside it has a small pond. AMLO has stated on more than one occasion that he visits the place when he needs to reflect, analyze and distance himself from certain circumstances.

“When I can come here, that's where I get stronger spiritually,” said the president. In addition, the president has also announced why his ranch bears that peculiar name. On one occasion, he explained that it is because Genovevo de la O, a leader of the Mexican Revolution, at the end of the armed conflict, withdrew to his ranch and gave it that name, La Chingada.

“Do you know why 'La Chingada'? A Zapatista leader, Genovevo de la O, after the revolution goes to a ranchito and put him that way, and they always told him where Genovevo is going and he said 'I'm going to La Chingada',” said the president.

In 2016, it was announced that the now president had inherited the estate, worth 25 million pesos, to his children, before issuing his 3de3 declaration (fiscal, patrimonial and interest). It should be noted that the property has an area of 13 thousand 341 square meters.

The ranch was also inherited by the president from his parents in 2000, and is located at the entrance to Palenque, arriving from Tabasco, on the Pakal-Ná-Palenque highway stretch, and has been used as a rest house for the now president and for his political spots.

In January 2021, an investigation conducted by journalist Carlos Loret de Mola, revealed that the area where the president's ranch is located, would benefit from a urban improvement plan in which millions of pesos would be invested.

According to the journalist's research, this investment, amounting to 112 million pesos, includes the rehabilitation of green areas, a bicycle path, multipurpose community spaces, roads and urban renewal of Pakal-Ná, a region that is close to the president's ranch, reflecting that the latter will increase its added value.

In addition, AMLO's ranch will also be close to the Mayan Train.

Genovevo de la O, the Mexican revolutionary whom AMLO cited when he announced why he gave his ranch that peculiar name, was a man who in 1910 took up arms against the regime of Porfirio Díaz, and in February 1911 he joined the ranks of revolutionary agrarian leader Emiliano Zapata, of whom he was Lieutenant.

After the Ayala Plan, in November 1911, Genovevo de la O attacked the city of Cuernavaca, in Morelos, in February 1912. In December 1914 he was elected as governor of Morelos by the Zapatistas, and in 1916 he contained the attacks of the constitutionalist army of Venustiano Carranza against the Liberating Army of the South. After the assassination of Zapata in April 1919, he declared himself the continuation of the Revolution.

A year later he supported Alvaro Obregon's uprising against Carranza and entered custody in Mexico City in May 1920. Genovevo de la O was appointed military commander of Morelos. Despite the dissolution of Zapatismo, he maintained some political influence until his death. In 1945 he participated in the founding of the Federation of People's Parties.

KEEP READING: