Women Inmates Denounce Living Conditions in Prisons Run by Organized Crime Sanjuana Martinez - La Jornada
go to original April 15, 2013

Carmen knew that life in prison would be difficult, but she never imagined it would become her worst nightmare. Charged with a crime against public health [drugs], from the first day she entered the Topo Chico prison in Nuevo León, they read her the rules:

"Here the last letter - Los Zetas - are in charge. For the beautiful ones like you, I have a special little job. If you want to survive, there is no choice: you agree or we "suicide" you. You decide."

Carmen realized that to be at peace here, she had to accept the rules imposed by organized crime, which controls the prison.

"Since I couldn't afford to pay the [weekly] fee, there was no other way. A few weeks, later one of the leaders said I would be his partner, well, one of many partners. He takes care of me in exchange for sex. There was no other way ...he is good to me and my children."

The women's area of Topo Chico prison is 63 percent over capacity. There are 604 inmates; the number has tripled in recent years. Half sleep on the floor and the remaining share stone beds or bunks. Food is scarce and they have to buy it, as well as toiletries. Forty-five of the inmates have their children living here. The exchange of drugs is commonplace and, worse, sexual exploitation is known and tolerated by the authorities and custodians.

Read the rest at Mexico Voices

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