The Dawn of New Hope in Sonora: Narconon Jovenes Opens Its Doors to Youth

Families, leaders, and friends unite in Navojoa to celebrate a new chapter of recovery and opportunity for young people.

On 25 October 2025, the community of Navojoa in Sonora, Mexico, came together to inaugurate the world’s first Narconon drug rehab facility dedicated to helping youth ages 12 to 17. The Narconon network of drug rehab centers is known around the world for rehabilitating adults who addicted to drugs or alcohol. And now with Narconon Jovenes, there is a center established exclusively for the youth of Sonora.

The new center called Narconon Jovenes is situated in Pueblo Viejo, a village located within the municipality of Navojoa. More than 500 people attended this Grand Opening, including representatives from the Navojoa, Sonora and federal governments, executives from Narconon International, and friends from drug rehabilitation organizations that have partnered with Narconon for years. The message of the afternoon was one of hope and empathy for families that have lost their loved ones so early to drugs or alcohol.

The event opened with two performances honoring the youth of the area. First, a six-year-old boy led the Deer Dance (Danza del Venado), a traditional ceremonial performance of the Mayo (Yoreme) and Yaqui (Yoeme) peoples. These groups are native to the region of Navojoa, Sonora. Next, the Color Guard from the Collegio de Bachilleres honored the Mexican flag with their precise presentation. Both performances evoked the image of all the youth that will be helped by this center.

The dignitaries in attendance followed these performances with moving statements of hope, cooperation and a look toward a better future. Excepts from their speeches paint the picture of their joy in this accomplishment.

Luz Argel represented the Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia or DIF. Ms. Argel had long envisioned this center for youth and worked side by side with Narconon to open its doors. She told the attendees, “Here, the hope of many families who had lost their children to addiction will be reborn. Here, young people who saw no future will come to believe in themselves again. And mothers and fathers who silently cried will be able to look ahead with faith once more.”

“I reaffirm my close alliance with the hearts of parents who want the best for their children. I wish that the goal be achieved, that lives be saved from the grip of drugs… that the good news be heard in every home darkened by this evil that eats away at the soul and strips everything away… here in Navojoa, there is a solution.”

The Mayor of Navojoa, Jose Alberto Elias Retes, expressed the hope of everyone who contributed to Narconon Jovenes with these words: “I reaffirm my close alliance with the hearts of parents who want the best for their children. I wish that the goal be achieved, that lives be saved from the grip of drugs… that the good news be heard in every home darkened by this evil that eats away at the soul and strips everything away… here in Navojoa, there is a solution.”

The speech from the Norah Gil, Executive Director of this new center, summed up the feelings of everyone present when she said, “Let us continue working together, because helping one young person recover is helping an entire society heal.”

Also present were Raquel Reyes, representing the government of Navojoa and serving as the Master of Ceremonies, Senador Heriberto Aguilar Castillo, who also addressed the audience and Zu Morales, the Executive Director of Narconon Latino America.

After the presentations, the ribbon was cut and the dignitaries and community members toured the building. Many of them discovered for the first time the precision and professionalism of this drug rehabilitation program. The premises were perfectly set up to support each young person through the steps of this program that has been helping adults recover from addiction for 60 years.

The Mayor and his wife Luz Argel also invited a local Catholic priest to bless the center. The priest honored the proceedings by blessing each space in the new facility.

This new Narconon center will be able to serve ten youth at a time, and provides rooms for life skills study, sauna detoxification, and staff offices, as well as accommodations for those in recovery.