More than two months after the Canada High Security Center, better known as El Infiernito in Escuintla, was vacated with the argument of regaining control of that prison, administrative delays and other situations, according to the Ministry of the Interior (Mingob), have prevented the relocation of the 225 inmates who remain distributed in different prisons.
On the morning of June 2, security forces raided the prison where they found everything from a video game chair, refrigerators, air conditioning, and sound equipment to an area where they kept exotic animals such as raccoons and two baby crocodiles.
On that date, the Minister of the Interior, Francisco Jiménez, promised that, within 30 days, the prisoners would be returned to the prison, after installing technology to prevent further criminal acts, such as extortion calls.
Delays
Jiménez said there are administrative delays and he is also waiting for the renovation work to be completed so that the transfers can be made.
He also said that they need to “channel” funds and are waiting for the donation of an x-ray machine – to control the entry of visitors – which was promised by a private company, although he said he did not remember the name.
According to the official, the prisoners will be returned to El Infiernito prison between the last week of August or even in mid-September.
During the searches carried out after the eviction, it was discovered that the prisoners had fibre optic cables, which allowed them to make phone calls to extort money from outside, despite the fact that there are signal blockers installed around the prison. In addition, they had their own cell to punish other prisoners.
The PNC used ground-penetrating scanners and X-ray machines to search between walls, floors and ceilings, where they found two firearms, ammunition, 33 cell phones and cash.
Investigation
The results of the investigation that, according to authorities of the Penitentiary System (SP), they undertook to determine who is responsible for having authorized the entry of the illegal objects to El Infiernito are unknown, since it is believed that the devices and the animals were brought in through the “main door”, with the approval of SP officials who in several cases are threatened or corrupted with the payment of bribes.
In the complaints filed by the SP before the MP, 102 prison guards who were assigned to El Infiernito are named.
Among the inmates who occupied the prison was Aldo Dupie, alias El Lobo, the top leader of Barrio 18. As part of the changes, it was announced that the inmates would also have to wear a moss green uniform made of 100 percent cotton. However, the purchase was cancelled on the grounds that “modifications will be made to the terms of reference,” without specifying any other details.
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