Así viven criminales en la prisión más estricta del mundo | El Salvador CECOT

Summary

En este video, se explora la vida en el Centro de Privación de Libertad por Terrorismo en El Salvador, el prision más grande de Américas. Con una capacidad para albergar a 40,000 reos, incluyendo miembros peligrosos de bandas y líderes criminales. Se revela la seguridad extrema, desde filtros de seguridad hasta tecnología que impide señales telefónicas. Los reclusos enfrentan duras condiciones, desde barras hasta celdas de aislamiento, y se narra la historia de un prisionero de banda desde su juventud hasta su condena por crímenes graves, subrayando la gravedad de las consecuencias de la vida en la delincuencia.

Takeaways

• 🏢 El script describe un centro de confinamiento para terrorismo en El Salvador, el cual es uno de los prisiones más grandes de América con una capacidad para albergar aproximadamente 40,000 reclusos.
• 🔒 La seguridad en la prisión es extremadamente estricta, con siete filtros de seguridad que hacen casi imposible entrar o salir sin autorización completa.
• 🕳 La única fuente de luz en las celdas de aislamiento es un agujero en el techo, y los reclusos son sometidos a un régimen de privación de libertad extremo.
• 👮‍♂️ Los guardias en la prisión cubren sus caras para proteger su seguridad y la de sus familias, debido a la presencia de antiguos miembros de bandas en las comunidades locales.
• 🛏️ Los reclusos duermen en literas de cuatro niveles sin colchones y no salen de allí hasta que cumplen sus sentencias, que pueden ser de hasta mil años.
• 🕯 Las luces nunca se apagan en la prisión, lo que hace que los reclusos pierdan la noción del tiempo completamente.
• 🍽️ La comida en la prisión es muy básica y no incluye carne, con tres comidas que suelen ser similares y pesan una libra cada una.
• 🚫 Los reclusos en esta prisión no tienen derecho a visitas, ya que están privados de esa libertad como consecuencia de sus decisiones criminales.
• 🤝 La prisión utiliza una estrategia de mantener a miembros de diferentes bandas en la misma celda para forzar una tregua y mostrar que las lealtades ganguales son del pasado.
• 👥 El script menciona que un grupo de reclusos podría estar directamente o indirectamente responsables de más de doscientos homicidios.
• 🚨 El proceso de extracción de celdas y el ejercicio de los reclusos es un evento cuidadosamente controlado y supervisado por guardias para minimizar riesgos.

Q & A

¿Dónde se encuentra el Centro de Confinamiento de Terrorismo mencionado en el video?

El Centro de Confinamiento de Terrorismo se encuentra en El Salvador.

¿Cuál es la capacidad de este centro penitenciario?

El centro tiene una capacidad para albergar aproximadamente cuarenta mil prisioneros.

¿Qué tipo de prisioneros se encuentran en este centro penitenciario?

El centro alberga principalmente a miembros de pandillas peligrosos y líderes criminales considerados terroristas.

¿Cómo se asegura la máxima seguridad en este centro?

La seguridad se asegura a través de siete filtros de seguridad, revisiones exhaustivas de los visitantes, y tecnología que bloquea señales de teléfonos celulares, además de la construcción de altos muros y cercas electrificadas.

¿Qué sucede cuando un prisionero comete una infracción dentro del centro?

Cuando un prisionero comete una infracción, es enviado a una celda de aislamiento, donde permanece bajo condiciones extremadamente restrictivas.

¿Qué métodos se utilizan para mantener el control sobre los prisioneros?

Los prisioneros son esposados en las manos y pies cuando son trasladados fuera de sus celdas y son vigilados de cerca por los guardias para minimizar cualquier riesgo.

¿Cuál es el régimen alimenticio de los prisioneros en este centro?

Los prisioneros reciben tres comidas al día, consistiendo generalmente en arroz, frijoles, crema y tortillas. La comida es controlada y distribuida equitativamente bajo supervisión.

¿Qué medidas se toman para evitar fugas en este centro penitenciario?

El centro tiene pisos de piedras que hacen ruido cuando se camina sobre ellos, además de guardias estratégicamente ubicados en torres de vigilancia para observar cualquier actividad sospechosa.

¿Cómo se maneja la interacción entre prisioneros de diferentes pandillas históricamente enemigas?

Los prisioneros de diferentes pandillas son colocados juntos en las mismas celdas para forzarlos a llegar a un acuerdo de paz, eliminando la separación que existía anteriormente.

¿Qué advertencia ofrece un prisionero veterano a los jóvenes que podrían estar considerando unirse a pandillas?

El prisionero advierte que unirse a una pandilla o grupo criminal solo trae consecuencias graves y que siempre hay otro camino, sin necesidad de buscar la salida fácil.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Vida en la Prisión de Máxima Seguridad

El primer párrafo introduce al espectador en la Terrorism Confinement Center en El Salvador, la prisión de máxima seguridad más grande de América Latina, destinada a albergar aproximadamente 40,000 reclusos, muchos de los cuales son miembros de bandas y líderes criminales considerados terroristas. Se describe el riguroso proceso de seguridad para entrar a la prisión, incluyendo siete filtros de seguridad y la imposibilidad de comunicación desde el interior. La vida en la prisión se caracteriza por la privación total de libertad, con reos sometidos a un régimen de control estricto, desde el uso de uniformes hasta las condiciones de sueño y alimentación. La narrativa también destaca la falta de visitas y la permanencia en la prisión hasta el cumplimiento de las condenas, que pueden ser de hasta mil años.

05:03

🕊️ Adaptación a la Vida Carcelaria y Sistema de Justicia Interno

Este párrafo profundiza en la rutina diaria de los reclusos, desde el proceso de extracción de celdas para ejercicio hasta la forma en que se llevan a cabo los juicios y la confrontación de acusados sin abandonar el módulo. Se menciona la tecnología utilizada para evitar la comunicación con el exterior y se explora la dinámica de la vida en las celdas, incluyendo la distribución de alimentos y la supervisión constante de los reclusos. Además, se destaca la estrategia de mantener a miembros de diferentes bandas en la misma celda para forzar una tregua y la forma en que se manejan las acusaciones y condenas adicionales de los reclusos.

10:07

🚫 Condiciones de Isolamiento y Castigos

El tercer párrafo se enfoca en las consecuencias de cometer una infracción dentro de la prisión, lo que lleva a los reclusos a ser enviados a celdas de aislamiento. Se describen las duras condiciones de estas celdas, con un espacio mínimo, un ladrillo húmedo para dormir y un tubérculo de agua para el baño, sin luz más que un agujero en el techo. La experiencia es descrita como claustrofóbica y traumatizante, con la intención de ser un castigo severo. Se contrasta con la rutina de alimentación, que aunque es humilde y repetitiva, se asegura que todos reciban la misma cantidad de comida, preparada por reclusos de bajo riesgo de otras prisiones.

15:10

⚖️ Reflexiones Finales y Consejos contra la Vida en Bandas

El último párrafo ofrece los pensamientos finales del narrador después de su experiencia en la prisión. Se refleja sobre la dureza de las condiciones carcelarias y cómo encajan con las atrocidades cometidas por los reclusos. El narrador advierte sobre los engaños de la vida en las bandas y la importancia de buscar otras salidas, destacando las historias de aquellos que cayeron en el crimen desde la juventud debido a sus entornos. El párrafo concluye con el narrador compartiendo sus sentimientos de alivio y empoderamiento tras ver la eficacia de las medidas de seguridad en una prisión de máxima seguridad.

Keywords

💡Celda de aislamiento

Una celda de aislamiento es una pequeña habitación donde se confinan prisioneros como castigo por infracciones. Es un espacio reducido y aislado, que contribuye a la sensación de claustrofobia y a la privación de libertad. En el script, se menciona que estos espacios tienen una luz tenue proveniente de un agujero en el techo y se describe como un castigo serio.

💡Delitos

El término 'delitos' se refiere a acciones que infringen las leyes y son castigadas por la sociedad. En el video, se discuten delitos graves cometes por los prisioneros, incluyendo homicidios, secuestros y asociaciones a delincuencia organizada, que son centrales para entender la naturaleza de la prisión y su población reclusa.

💡Máxima seguridad

Una prisión de máxima seguridad es una institución penitenciaria diseñada para contener a los prisioneros más peligrosos, generalmente con altos niveles de supervisión y control. El script destaca que la prisión visitada es de máxima seguridad, con siete filtros de seguridad y tecnología que impide señales telefónicas.

💡Gang members

Miembros de bandas o pandillas son individuos que forman parte de grupos criminales organizados. En el contexto del video, se menciona que muchos prisioneros son miembros de pandillas y líderes criminales considerados terroristas, lo que subraya la gravedad de los delitos de los que son acusados.

💡Condenas

Las 'condenas' son las penas impuestas por un tribunal a una persona encontrada culpable de un delito. En el script, se habla de condenas extremadamente largas, llegando a los mil años, que reflejan la gravedad de los crímenes cometidos por los reclusos.

💡Control de la población reclusa

El control de la población reclusa es la gestión y supervisión de los prisioneros para mantener el orden dentro de la prisión. El video muestra diversas medidas de control, como la realimentación de nuevas acusaciones dentro de la prisión y la supervisión constante de las actividades de los reclusos.

💡Punishment

El 'castigo' es una consecuencia impuesta por una infracción de las reglas o leyes. En el video, el aislamiento y la privación de ciertos derechos, como las visitas familiares, son mencionados como formas de castigo dentro de la prisión.

💡Identificación de criminales

La 'identificación de criminales' es el proceso de reconocer y confirmar la identidad de un individuo acusado de un delito. El script describe cómo se realiza esta identificación de forma remota dentro de la prisión, con el uso de un sistema de vidrio que permite al acusado ser identificado sin abandonar el módulo.

💡Cámaras de videollamadas

Las 'cámaras de videollamadas' son dispositivos que permiten a los reclusos comunicarse visual y auditivamente con otros, como sus abogados, de forma remota. En el video, se menciona que los reclusos pueden tener encuentros legales y recibir sus sentencias a través de estas tecnologías.

💡Alimentación prisionera

La 'alimentación prisionera' se refiere a los alimentos proporcionados a los reclusos. El guion describe las tres comidas diarias que consisten en platos básicos, como arroz con frijoles y tortillas, y cómo se controla la distribución equitativa de la comida para evitar abusos.

💡Rehabilitación

La 'rehabilitación' es el proceso de ayudar a los delincuentes a integrarse en la sociedad después de su encarcelamiento. Aunque no se menciona directamente en el script, el mensaje final del prisionero sobre el consejo de no unirse a pandillas y buscar otras vías, sugiere la importancia de la rehabilitación para prevenir el crimen.

Highlights

Entrada a una celda de aislamiento, utilizada para prisioneros que cometen una infracción.

La única entrada de luz es un agujero en el techo.

La tecnología del penal evita señales telefónicas para evitar comunicación del interior.

Existen siete filtros de seguridad para entrar o salir del penal.

Los prisioneros son privados de libertad y no tienen derecho a visitas.

Los prisioneros duermen en literas de cuatro niveles sin colchones.

Las luces nunca se apagan, lo que hace que pierdan la noción del tiempo.

Los prisioneros son sometidos a un riguroso régimen de control y castigos.

Los prisioneros son acusados y enfrentados dentro del mismo penal sin salir de su módulo.

Los prisioneros tienen acceso a videollamadas para hablar con sus abogados.

Los pisos de piedra en el penal hacen ruido para detectar intentos de escape.

Los muros más altos miden nueve metros de concreto, seguidos de tres metros de alambre aislante.

Los prisioneros son extraídos de sus celdas para ejercicio en forma controlada.

La comida en el penal se pesa para asegurar que cada prisionero reciba la misma cantidad.

Los prisioneros que preparan la comida son de otro penal y son considerados criminales de bajo riesgo.

Los prisioneros son miembros de bandas y líderes criminales considerados terroristas.

Los prisioneros condenados por crímenes atroces tienen sentencias que pueden superar los mil años.

Los custodios visten chalecos antibalas y cubren sus rostros para proteger su identidad.

Los prisioneros son forzados a alcanzar un acuerdo de paz, a pesar de pertenecer a bandas rivales.

Los prisioneros confiesan sus crímenes y el impacto que ha tenido en sus vidas.

El reportero reflexiona sobre la sensación de impotencia y alivio tras visitar el penal.

Transcripts

Next we will enter an isolation cell, which is where prisoners are sent when

they commit an infraction. The only light entrance is a hole in the ceiling.

How many people did you kill?

I do not remember.

How many were there?

We have committed different crimes at different times.

Absolutely everything is done in here. From going to the bathroom to cleaning

up. Everything is done in here open.

This group behind me alone is very possibly responsible, directly or indirectly,

for more than two hundred homicides.

We are in El Salvador and today we will enter the Terrorism Confinement Center,

the largest prison in the Americas, with a capacity to house about forty,zero

prisoners, of which, today, a significant percentage are dangerous.

Gang members and criminal leaders considered terrorists.

This is a maximum security prison and this is evident from the moment you are

perhaps a kilometer from its perimeter, because there are already security

elements that begin to interrogate you.

They get out of your vehicle, they do a body search, they check your

identification. Who are you? What are you doing here? They tell me that there

are seven security filters.

Those that are imposed, which makes it practically an impossible mission for

anyone to enter or leave without full authorization.

In this video we will know a little of how life is here inside, what are some

methods and punishments that are imposed to control today's inmates.

What are some of the rules that the country has imposed to control the situation

with its criminals? Come, the Lord is waiting for us. Let's give him

to come in. Of course. They take all your belongings. Phone, wallets, nothing.

You can get in.

It is even very interesting that the prison is built with a technology that does

not allow a telephone signal so that nothing really communicates from inside here.

They also pass you to one/four where they search you, they take off your shoes,

they even check the thickness of your socks.

It is not for nothing that it is defined as a maximum security prison.

When a person deprived of his freedom, that is, a prisoner, enters here, his

whole body is searched with a technology that allows us to literally see if

there is anything inside his body, data capture is taken and he proceeds to go

to the module assigned to him.

Oh, by the way, we are able to enter to document with special press permits, but

we do not really admit any type of visit.

People deprived of their liberty in these types of prisons specially designated

for terrorists are not entitled to any visits.

Nothing about I want to see my mom, I want to see my wife, my daughter, nothing.

You lost that right because of the decisions you made. in the armory. You have

guns, of course, to control.

In the event of a riot or similar situation. To date, there has not been one.

And look. These are the hand and foot cuffs that are placed on prisoners who

have to leave their cells, whether for food, exercise, medical care, etc. You

don't leave without a pair of these.

This is a surprisingly light but sturdy bulletproof vest.

We are already inside one of the modules that has thirty-two cells, of which

each one has a capacity to receive about one hundred people deprived of their freedom.

Although these numbers may vary, it is very shocking to see it up close.

Criminals sleep in a four-tier bunk system without any kind of mattress, and

once people enter here, they will not leave until they finish their sentences.

We're talking about criminals here with sentences ranging from twenty years to

over a thousand years.

Literally there are beings who did crimes such that they were given sentences of

more than a thousand years.

Hence the saying that when you enter the sector you do not leave until you

finish your sentence, because everything, absolutely everything, is done in

here, from going to the bathroom to washing up, everything is done here open.

Another shocking fact is that the lights are never turned off here, not even to

sleep, which makes you completely lose track of time.

There are no clocks, so you don't know what time it is. It depends entirely on

the schedules imposed on you by the custodians when they enter.

Everyone has to be abducted. We can also see that everyone has the same uniform

and there are collective pots which they use to shower, to bathe, to do.

We can also see that here there is a person from the medical team who comes

every morning to leave pills for people who have some condition, who maybe are

feeling some discomfort, even their hearings, in case their sentences have to be

extended, are done from here inside.

I want you to pay attention to this. We are in the module, here are the cells,

and right here is the fourth of face-to-face and notification.

This is in case any of the prisoners have been accused of new crimes for which

they have not been tried, that this may extend their sentences.

So from Juan Perez, come here. They found you a new crime.

They are accusing you of something else because they are informing you of all

this and then, in this other room here, they do the confrontation, they do the

recognition of identity.

Then they form different prisoners, they give them a number on this side.

Okay, here, this is a glass that can be seen perfectly from there, from here to

there it is like a mirror.

So the person who is crossing here can identify the aggressors, the accused, and

without having set foot outside the module, this person is already accused of a

different crime and can already spend many more years in here.

Likewise, here inside the module are the courtrooms where the accused can talk

to their lawyers.

All of that is respected here and their new sentences are read to them, all remotely.

This is very impressive. So here they have the cameras for video calls, here

they sit those already sentenced, here they listen, here they can dialogue, here

they can talk, here they can speak everything remotely.

So I repeat, you don't set foot outside, No, no, this is truly amazing.

they are taking us to another area.

And notice this detail: every time you change area, the floor is made of stones

on purpose to make noise in case someone escapes.

Make every little step more than evident. Let's go up to one of the watchtowers.

From up here we can see some of the modules and we can appreciate the security rings.

The highest walls are nine meters of concrete, followed by three meters of

electrified fencing.

I was allowed to go up to the catwalk area, which is where security bodies are

strategically placed to be able to see from above into the cells.

Here we can observe some of the methods that the prisoners use to sleep, as you

will see in their welcome kit and so we could call them.

They are given a sheet, they are given their uniform and they are given a towel.

You can see that some choose to cover themselves with the sheet and put the

T-shirts over their eyes to keep the light out so they can sleep and still

others choose to lie on their towels.

We are now witnessing a cell extraction. This is an activity that is done once a

day so that the prisoners can exercise.

What is done is that the criminals are taken out of the cell in an orderly

fashion, five by five or sometimes ten by ten.

They are placed in a row and handcuffs are placed on their wrists and ankles.

Sometimes they are also joined together.

They are then escorted to a designated area of the module, where they will be

surrounded by guards so that they can move around without the possibility of rebelling.

Similarly, here we can see that most, if not all, of the guards choose to cover

their faces for their own safety and that of their families, because in many

cases they themselves live in neighborhoods that have been previously ruled by

gang members, so they do not want to have to pay negative consequences for the

work they are doing here or for their country.

Their loved ones.

Oh, and see from inside the cell they put the handcuffs on their wrists first,

of course, so that no one can push the door open once it is opened.

And look, right now we are seeing how they are being escorted one prisoner at a time.

Look how the chain is attached to their legs.

All this with the intention of minimizing risks. Talking with a guard, I was

just given a piece of information that shocked me, and that is that this group

alone, which is behind my back, is very possibly directly or indirectly

responsible for more than two hundred homicides.

What a blood-curdling piece of information once they are formed and the

perimeter is protected by guards, their handcuffs are removed so that they can

move freely and thus exercise.

It is quite frightening to be just a few meters away from murderous kidnappers

without any kind of protection.

Luckily there are literally dozens of guards surrounding me.

But I won't deny it, this is a scary experience. Looking at the tattoos some of

them have on their chests and backs, we can see what gangs they used to belong to.

Most allude to Mara Salvatrucha or eighteen, which are gangs. Historically enemies.

It is interesting to see the strategy of putting them together in the same cell

to represent that the gang no longer cares about you.

That has been left in the past and this ideology has changed, this system of

separating the gangs by cells so they don't fight.

Here they are practically being forced to reach a peace agreement.

They gave me a reading of profiles that list crimes they have committed and it

is very difficult to listen to them and it makes your skin crawl.

Rape, aggravated homicides, kidnappings, truly inhumane acts.

I got to read profiles whose sentences listed two hundred and seventy years. And

this, if not more crimes are added to the years they have left to live.

And if seeing all these images it is easy to suddenly be moved, to touch your

heart, to say wow, what harsh mistreatment inside the prison, but when you learn

of the inhumane atrocities they have committed it makes sense.

Next we will enter an isolation cell which is where the prisoners are sent when

they commit an infraction, they are always locked with a padlock and basically

consist of this space in which they have a cement slab, they have a tub of water

with a bucket, they have an access to drainage and they have a bathroom.

The only light that you have is a hole in the ceiling and depending on the

severity of your infraction, the number of hours you have to spend here will be defined.

I can tell you that it is a very claustrophobic sensation, very dark, an echo

accompanied by a silence that weakens anyone, a very serious punishment.

I do not want to imagine myself in a situation like this in which I would be

locked up in this cell.

The isolation cells have this hatch through which food is passed and likewise,

with this small window through which you can supervise the person who is in

there, you can close the door and check right now we have the camera light on.

Turn it off, it's completely dark, right? This is a traumatizing experience.

If we talk about the food, they serve three courses of food. I asked to taste

the breakfast, that's what I'm going to get.

Now we can see that it consists of rice with beans, cream and two tortillas.

They tell me that breakfast and dinner is usually the same, it is usually this

same dish and at lunch time maybe they can serve some pasta, maybe they can

serve a rice with a different preparation, but they never really eat chicken or

meat, that doesn't exist here.

That doesn't exist here. What do we get, frijolito? We get cream. Each plate of

food is put on the scale and has to weigh one pound.

There is no distinction of any kind of rank here.

Everyone, absolutely everyone, eats the same. Today you are probably wondering

about the people who are here working, packing the food.

They are also people serving time in prison. Yes, but they are what we might

call low-risk criminals.

Basically, all of them are in another prison, not in this one, because I repeat

that this one is only for terrorists.

All these people are under supervision and they are brought in to work from

other prisons to do some of their community service.

As I was telling you, they never leave the modules. And this also applies to mealtimes.

We can see that the plates and trays are left just outside the bars and they are

the ones who take them and hand them out.

I wondered how they manage to prevent abuses and the food from being stolen so

that someone is left without food.

They tell me that all this is controlled from above, there is supervision and

they make sure that everyone is eating.

And in the same way we can see that there are custodians here watching that the

food is distributed fairly once they finish their food.

It is their job to rinse the dishes, to leave them relatively clean, they leave

them there to be picked up and then they can use that water to clean their

mouths, to clean their bodies.

We are going to talk now with a prisoner who has been involved in gangs since he

was young.

He has been here for a very long time and has a lot more to come.

What gangs do you belong to?

to the "MS thirteen".

Why are you here?

For multiple offenses.

Like what?

Homicides, deprivation of liberty, kidnapping, etc. How many people. Did you

kill? I don't remember. So many were.

We have committed different crimes at different times.

How long have you been in prison?

I entered at the age of twenty-one and I am forty-seven years old. ¿

How much time do you have left?

I don't know. When God permits, I will go out.

Don't get into criminal groups like gangs, gangs, organized crime. Nothing that

is crimes or sins on this earth.

Because the consequences are serious, even if they offer you heaven or earth.

That is a lie of the devil.

It is very sad to hear these stories and to know that it is the case of many of

those here who committed horrible crimes when they were just children.

Their environment got them involved in gangs. The society they grew up in made

them believe that this was the right path. Yes, it's very hard, it's very sad.

And I mean whatever time you're watching me, you may think that the gang is your

only escape, there's always another way. And you don't have to look for the easy

way out.

I leave this prison in El Salvador, very shocked and with a strange feeling of relief.

I can tell you that I have visited many prisons and have documented several for

the channel.

It gives a horrible feeling of helplessness when you visit prisons where

criminals who have done horrible things live like kings.

To be able to appreciate these conditions and these measures in a maximum

security prison gives a certain feeling of empowerment to a simple citizen like me.

What feeling do you leave with? I'll read them down here in the comments. Many

thanks to the people in the industry for opening the doors for me to be able to

document this and share it with you.

See you as always, you know, in a few days with a new video.