What the new maximum security prison announced by Boric looks like: “Our model is not that of El Salvador”

In the midst of a latent security crisis, he President Gabriel Boric has just given the green light to the construction of a “new special high and maximum security establishment” where they will be able to control the criminal leaders of the organized gangs that operate in Chile.

All the details of the infrastructure are not yet known, but the president announced that the prison It will be located in the metropolitan area, will cost about $90 billion and will have an increase of 500 seats. in addition to those usually found in this type of prison.

Although Boric’s announcement was made today, the idea of ​​building a special prison for organized crime has been circulating among the authorities for some time. But from now on, The government has made it clear that this will in no way be a model similar to that implemented by Nayib Bukele in El Salvador.

“Our model is not the Salvadoran model, “But it is the high security model that is validated internationally and that we believe can give us better results,” said Interior Minister Carolina Tohá.

Behind the news of this new maximum security prison, there are two main aspects: the first one, overcrowding recorded by the prison system at the national level and, secondly, the deep security crisis This affects the country, where the protagonists of organized criminal gangs stand out.

And the profile of criminal leaders is not the same as that of a common law prisoner. On the contrary, these They are said to be more violent and willing to try all sorts of tricks to circumvent prison security measures.

According to official sources, The third Two weeks ago, The prison system must be “prepared” to handle the long sentences that await members of dangerous criminal groups. which now travel around the country, such as the Aragua train.

This is why the Government has explained that the European style will be followed, as the one implemented in the special high security penitentiary establishment (Repas). In this sense, regarding the characteristics of the future prison, There will be the following security features, among others that have not yet been announced:

• Individual cells built with “vandal-proof material” which prevents prisoners from assembling homemade weapons from the materials around them.
• Closed circuit television with thermal cameras and facial recognition.
• Cell phone signal jammers.

Furthermore, the former director of the Gendarmerie, Christian Alveal, declared The third PM that also The focus should be on visits that high-risk prisoners can receive. And it is common for family members to bring them packages or for them to receive visits from their lawyers.

“In other countries, are recorded in real time, both visually and audibly, and are monitored by a control room that, at any suspicion of communication related to criminal activity, they will interrupt it and charges will be brought against anyone who could be part of this type of plans,” Alveal said.

The former authority also recommended the creation of a Genderames group specializing in maximum security prisons and I hope they will benefit from an “economic incentive”, because being the guardian of criminal gang leaders carries an associated risk.

He Ministry of Justice The search for land where a special prison could be built that would cover all the needs necessary to keep people locked up began. and without the possibility of committing crimes from the inside, to prisoners linked to organized crime.

As Boric announced, this next location will take place in the Chilean capital and, as government officials explained to LT they are mixed two plots of land: one in Tiltil (next to Punta Peuco) and another in Santiago Centro, on Pedro Montt Avenue, near Santiago Uno.

However, it has not yet been confirmed which one will be chosen as there are issues that need to be resolved first. In Tiltil, there is no water supply for the future installation (due to the mega-drought), while the space on Pedro Montt Avenue is assigned to the army. through the Ministry of Defense.

The most viable and “preferred” option would be the second one. because, according to government sources, a sort of “penitentiary district” could be created to concentrate surveillance in a single area.

If the project is accepted, The new maximum security prison would be located between Santiago Uno and the Gendarmerie offices, connected to the High Security Special Unit. There would be enough space to accommodate almost 1,000 seats.

Talks are underway to allow the space intended for the Army to be reallocated by the Ministry of Defense, and thus give the green light to the construction of this new Boric trench, as part of the fight against organized crime. However, The Ministry of Justice does not rule out that another alternative may ultimately be chosen for the project.

According to Tohá, construction is expected to begin in 2025.