Chile might be considered one of the more conservative countries in Latin America, but on Tuesday, the country became home to the largest medical marijuana cultivation site in the region, as a 6,900-stalk farm in Colbun, a small town south of Santiago, was formally inaugurated, according to Reuters.

The massive plantation is headed by Ana Maria Gazmuri, a former soap opera star and a known supporter of holistic medicine. When fully operational, the farm, operating under Gazmuri's private foundation, is expected to produce about 1.65 tons of cannabis between March and May of this year.

The former soap opera star, however, stated that the plans were actually delayed due to the farm encountering stiff opposition from conservatives in Chile's government. Eventually, the government gave the farm the green light, which Gazmuri considers as "definitely a positive sign."

"This farm will further permit people to see for themselves the reality of the plant, and what its uses are," Gazmuri added.

The International Business Times stated that the farm is set to be partnered with a number of laboratories and universities in the area, which would be using the farm's massive output to develop cannabis-based therapies for various diseases.

The operations of the farm would be fully supervised by Chile's agricultural service, which means that the farm could operate without any fear of raids initiated by the government.

Across Chile alone, more than 4,000 patients suffering from illnesses such as chronic pain, complications related to cancer and epilepsy, would benefit from the therapeutic benefits of the controversial plant.

With the inauguration of the farm, Chile has become the latest Latin American country to adopt a more open-minded approach to the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Back in 2013, Uruguay became the first country to legalize the controversial plant for medicinal and recreational purposes, according to the San Francisco Evergreen News.

The legalization of cannabis has also taken huge strides last year, with a court ruling in Mexico spurring the president to field national debates about the plant's legalization in November. A decree in Colombia has been passed in December as well, allowing the legalized cultivation and sale of medical cannabis.

As for the head of the largest cannabis farm in conservative Chile, Gazmuri believes that the country is now ready for a number of important cannabis reforms.

Regarding marriage equality, regarding cannabis, regarding abortion - the majority opinion is in favor of securing these rights," she said.