I entered prison Mariscal Zavala since January 23, 2015 and today’s date October 16, 2016 I still imprisoned, prosecuted for the alleged use of “forged documents” have asked other lawyers if this is normal and tell me in my case this is “weird” because usually it takes in Guatemala without going to jail as happens to me and my whole family …
I was told that the purpose of my prison was in a “preventive” but what you’re seeing I have an ANTICIPATED conviction.
I’ll tell you my experience as living in prison now called VIP Mariscal Zavala …
These were the old facilities Jail Mariscal Zavala in 2015
At the time I am talking about the year 2015 we had only 40 prisoners.
Jail was a very small booth of 120 square meters where prisoners and guards shared space. In 3 meters from the barrack ended jail area and the wall he stood.
Next 6 months in prison was filled with new prisoners of the famous cases that start CICIG.
In the month of July we were more than 100 people. They set bunks 3 levels, occupying the entire space of the dining rooms and hallways.
Some slept on the floor between the bunks. For visitors there was almost no space, but we always find a solution. Conflicts occurred rarely and were never violent.
In November all of us we were moved into “new” jail in the same military base. We were forbidden to take anything electrical. So we lost forever microwave, electric stoves, televisions etc.
“New” prison was not really new. The two barracks existed for many years, they say, was once the center of torture and after the quarantine station where the soldiers returned from the CONGO remained.
In these Barracks there was nothing, only cement floor. They also brought prisoners of “Matamoros” there was no bunks or “plates”. We settled on the cement floor. First days were not allowed to leave these barracks that was real torture for 140 people in the enclosed space of 250 square meters without bunk beds without sheets. Gradually we began to fix the barracks. We build new bathrooms to avoid long queues form natural needs. We bought bunk beds.
Our population grew rapidly.
Currently we are almost 200. There is no room in the barracks, but most sleep in bunks 3 levels, which are glued to each other. In 2 barracks sleep 140 people. Others sleep in tents outside.
All of us came a dramatic time in the beginning of this year. We were left without water.
Without warning, without giving us time to make some preparations. For several days we were completely without water.
We expected that the prison system is going to act, but nothing. Among us there are civil engineers, made a project of the local water system.
We bougth all the materials and build new system. Since then we bought the water carrying trucks every day. First 7 months we lacked sufficient resources to bougth barrels. So we set the schedule only 3 hours per day we use water.
We finally bought enough water barrels and now we have almost every day, paying Q.40.00 per week. Penitentiary System, meanwhile is not spending a dime.
I accept that in other prisons the situation is much worse. The partners in area 18 in preventive, shared many details about the terrible situation there there. But I must say that these prisoners in these prisons are creating hell extorting each other, acting violently and abusively. Mariscal Zavala there is nothing of that and this is great advantage.
The government of Guatemala, do not spend a lot of money to keep prisons and if you spend something, most stolen immediately. There are also a lot of waste.
It makes me sad to see how waste resources when prisoners transported daily to court only to suspend its hearings.
For each inmate they use 3 guards. These hearings are suspended in 80%. I’m in prison already for two years and even among intermediate stage. There are many prisoners who for 5 years did not enter intermediate stage. All this time are in prison and the government spends money to maintain them.
I want to make a remark. Otto Perez and several other privileged prisoners are in another separate jail us for two walls
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