Prison safari

Image: "emmablackburn" on Flickr.

A notorious prison in Bolivia has been condemned by the government for allowing tourists to visit the premises, take photos and videos, and talk to the inmates. If you never made it inside the cárcel de San Pedro, it's too late now - the prison governor was sacked last week because of the illegal tours. See the images from those who got there before the doors were slammed shut...

Pay an extra few euros, and you can take a camera…

Children playing football in the courtyard. Posted by "chieliek" on Jan. 13, 2009.

An English speaking guide shows a group around. Posted by "peterwidman" on Feb. 18, 2009. 

The swimming pool? Posted by "walrus.as.emoticon". 

The washroom. Posted by "emmablackburn" on Jan. 12, 2009.

There are plenty of photos of the prison posted by tourists who've made visits. Check out San Pedro prison on Flickr.

"Word had it that the prisoners were selling Bolivian trinkets to tourists"

Wilfredo Jordán is a blogger from La Paz, where the prison is situated. He posted the news video on his blog.

The cárcel de San Pedro is like a small city of narrow streets. Each prisoner has to buy his own room, or cell. Most new recruits sleep in the church until they manage to find a job that pays them enough to rent a room. Some people sell food, make craftwork, others open a snooker hall, or a local shop. Recently word had it that the prisoners were selling Bolivian trinkets to tourists: bracelets, miniature cars, ornaments etc. The prison is divided into zones; La Posta, for example, and different areas relate to different classes. Rich convicts live comfortably while the poor live in rooms of no more than two metres squared.

A tourist visit is said to have cost more or less 250 Bolivianos [around €26]. Foreigners knew about the trips from the Internet, from fliers handed out in Sagárnaga street (a touristy area) and in English travel books [like The Rough Guide]. Until last Thursday, the trips were denied by the prison authorities. The general public didn't know that this was going on - only tourist agencies were aware of it.

However, various accounts written by foreigners suggested that the concept of visiting the prison was common knowledge for tourists. On January 17 British journalist Vicky Baker published a report, entitled Prison Break, in The Guardian. Another account was that of Ramy Wurgaft, published on February 16 in the Spanish daily El Mundo. Then this video from Red Uno emerged in mid-march. The video laid out the evidence and made it public. It put pressure on the authorities to undertake an investigation, something that ended in Luis Cerruto, governor of the prison, being dismissed by the poder ejecutivo [the legal arm of the government]. He's now awaiting investigation."

The news report that revealed the secret tours

Report by Bolivian commercial TV channel Red Uno.