SAN PEDRO PRISON
Héctor Mediavilla
San Pedro prison in La Paz is home to about 1,500 inmates. Few of the inmates here are convicted killers - 80% of them are here for drug-related offences (law 1008). Only about 25% of all prisoners are actually serving a sentence - the rest are awaiting trial. There is an overpopulation in this prison where health conditions are not the best. About 200 children live in the San Pedro prison with their fathers. There are almost no guards, no uniforms or metal bars on the cell windows. This relative freedom comes at a price: inmates have to pay for their cells.Once you pass the thick walls and the security gates, any resemblance to a normal jail disappears: there are children playing, market stalls, restaurants, hairdressers and even a hotel. It looks more like the streets of El Alto, Bolivia's poorest neighbourhood that sprawls on the outskirts of La Paz, than a prison.
Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082551 A convict of La Muralla section in his cell. Inmates who commit behavioural faults are separated from the rest into two disciplinary sections - La Muralla and La Grulla - where comfort levels are extremely low. WIDE EDITORIAL USAGE. WITH SIGNED OR ORAL MODEL/PROPERTY RELEASE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0265644 Public telephones inside the prison. On the wall, there are several advertisements of cells to let or to sell. WIDE USAGE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
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Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082562 A prison's yard where football matches take place. Every sector has a team and tournaments are held regularly, with bets of more than $20,000 a year. Good players are sought after and signings by teams from the wealthier sections are not unheard of.
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Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0265642 View from one of the cells of Los Pinos section. WIDE USAGE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
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Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082549 Ariel is one of the inmates that lives in La Grulla sector. Inmates who commit behavioural faults are separated from the rest into two disciplinary sections - La Muralla and La Grulla - where comfort levels are extremely low. WIDE EDITORIAL USAGE. WITH SIGNED OR ORAL MODEL/PROPERTY RELEASE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0265643 Graffitti on a wall of San Pedro prison. WIDE USAGE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
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Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082553 Andrés Gasa, a convict of Chonchocorito sector, in his cell. Chonchocorito is the high security sector of the San Pedro prison, where the most dangerous prisoners are kept.
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Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082552 About 200 children live in the San Pedro prison with their fathers. The younger ones go to one of the two nurseries inside the jail, while the older ones go to schools outside. Outside, they suffer discrimination and inside, they live in fear of violence and sexual abuse. Their mothers are often in other jails or have abandoned them. STRICT EDITORIAL USAGE CONFORM TO CAPTION AND CONTEXT. WITH SIGNED OR ORAL MODEL/PROPERTY RELEASE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
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Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082924 A "charanga" of a group of inmates of San Pedro prison takes a break after living up the party that continues since the evening before. Today is one of the celebration days of La Merced virgin, the patron saint of the inmates, so there are different activities like "charangas" (music bands), dances and masks. Only about 25% of all prisoners are actually serving a sentence - the rest are awaiting trial. WIDE EDITORIAL USAGE. WITHOUT MODEL/PROPERTY RELEASE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082907 Ernesto is a Catalan man who was caught at customs with 3 kilograms of cocaine. He has been serving his sentence for 2 years now. WIDE EDITORIAL USAGE. WITH SIGNED OR ORAL MODEL/PROPERTY RELEASE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
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Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082914 A drug addict in one of the cells of the Mayo sector. Drug trafficking and consumption is quite common inside the prison. A cocaine base dose costs 2 bolivianos (20 euro cents) whereas a litre of 93 degrees alcohol costs 150 bolivianos because it is much morre difficult to smuggle into the jail. WIDE USAGE. WITH SIGNED OR ORAL MODEL/PROPERTY RELEASE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082720 Drugaddicts in room number 8 of Mayo sector. Drug traffiking and consumption is rather usual inside the prison. A cocaine base dose costs 2 bolivianos (20 euro cents). WIDE EDITORIAL USAGE. WITH SIGNED OR ORAL MODEL/PROPERTY RELEASE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
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Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082702 El Lobo, a drug addict in one of the cells of the Mayo sector. Drug trafficking and consumption is quite common inside the prison. A cocaine base dose costs 2 bolivianos (20 euro cents) whereas a litre of 93 degrees alcohol costs 150 bolivianos because it is much more difficult to smuggle into the jail. WIDE EDITORIAL USAGE. WITH SIGNED OR ORAL MODEL/PROPERTY RELEASE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082627 Some convicts smoke cocaine base and drink alcohol in the balconies sector. The one on the right side has put ilegal alcohol in his coca coca bottle, the other one has a mental disease.
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Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0265821 A convict walks inside the prison.
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Héctor Mediavilla / Picturetank MEH0082633 An inmate stands behind the bars of the prison entrance. He is one of the "taxis" who searches a particular inmate when he has visitors. It is a common practice among inmates in order to get some coins. WIDE EDITORIAL USAGE. WITHOUT MODEL/PROPERTY RELEASE. Infos : +33(0)143 15 63 53. SPAIN OUT - PAS DE VENTE EN ESPAGNE |
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