 Because of his prominent role in the expansion of Gruma, he was often nicknamed "El Maseco" or "Don Maseco" (a reference to one of Gruma's subsidiaries, Grupo Industrial Maseca), as well as the "King of Tortillas".Barrera was born in Cerralvo, Nuevo León.At the age of five, before starting school, he was selling eggs, bread, vegetables and other foodstuff in his native town of Cerralvo.