The maximum security prison with capacity for three thousand inmates, which is managed by the government of Alejandro Giammattei, will begin to be built in Masagua, Escuintla, in the coming days, according to the announcement made by the Minister of the Interior, Francisco Jiménez.
Nineteen months have passed since the Interior Ministry authorized a multimillion-dollar disbursement to carry out the studies and begin construction of the maximum security prison.
In September 2023, the then minister, Napoleón Barrientos, said that the process remained at the licensing stage and that the incoming government would analyze whether to continue.
One of the delays, according to Barrientos, was due to the invasion of the property where the prison was to be built, although he did not detail what was negotiated so that the families could vacate the land weeks later. The former official said at the time that the invaders were only looking for land to live on and not because they were opposed to the project.
Accelerate
At the beginning of the current government, Deputy Samuel Pérez said that the contracts made by the previous authorities of the Ministry of the Interior (Mingob) with the developer would be verified, to ensure that they complied with what was established by law.
During an interview with a radio station, Jiménez said that “in the next few days the first stone will be laid in Masagua,” referring to the construction of the prison.
The Ministry of Public Works’ Communications Department reported that the conditions in the contracts had been changed and that “conditions that were not in the law” had been corrected. However, it indicated that at that time it did not have details and promised to send a detailed report on the matter.
Jiménez stressed that the goal before the end of the current government is to have three prisons built, in order to reduce overcrowding in the Penitentiary System, which currently manages 23 prisons throughout the country.
Disbursements
The prison will be built 75 kilometers from the capital, on the Cuyuta estate, Masagua, Escuintla. According to the plans, the prison will have a capacity for three thousand prisoners.
On January 20, 2023, the Ministry of Public Works resolved to approve the contract for the provision of consulting services for US$2,175,833 —about Q17 million— to the Mexican real estate company Rancho Sierra, for the preparation of the design of the prison.
The Mexican capital consortium Grupo Tradeco, made up of the companies Innovaciones Técnicas de Cimentación, S.A. de C.V. (Itecsa); Inmobiliaria Rancho Sierra and Internacional Heavy Construction, Inc., is in charge of building the men’s prison.
Of the total cost of this maximum security prison, Q16.5 million will be allocated for the design, Q581.8 million for the construction and Q69.7 million for equipment.
The funds for the construction of the prison will come from the loan acquired with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), according to the contract signed on August 26, 2020.
Delay
On June 2, 225 inmates were evicted from El Infiernito prison in Escuintla and transferred to other prisons. Jiménez reported that administrative delays have prevented the reopening of the prison, which was vacated to refurbish it with technology and improve controls to prevent prisoners from making extortion calls from the facility.
The official mentioned that, in addition to the exotic animals that were located during the eviction operation in the aforementioned prison, it was discovered that there was fiber optics connected to an electric power pole outside the prison, which allowed the inmates to make extortion calls, despite the fact that there were telephone signal blockers. The inmates also had a swimming pool and a cell with iron, as a place to punish other inmates.
According to Jiménez, control of El Infiernito will be resumed in a few weeks. However, he believes that, in order to take control of the entire Penitentiary System, at least “two more governments” are needed.
“We are protecting those deprived of their liberty; we are not punishing or rehabilitating them. We have control of the perimeter zone, but we do not know what can happen inside,” said the minister.
#Government #prioritize #construction #maximum #security #prison
