Marching Powder

1. Arrested in Bolivia: A Shocking Betrayal

As soon as I walked into the terminal, every single one of them looked up.

Airport ambush. Thomas McFadden, a seasoned drug trafficker, felt confident navigating La Paz's El Alto Airport with 5kg of cocaine, relying on a bribed customs contact, Colonel Lanza. Despite initial police presence, he checked his bags, only to be called out by name just before boarding. Led to the Colonel's office, he was told dogs found drugs.

Colonel's betrayal. Expecting help from his contact, Thomas was instead confronted by the Colonel, who denied knowing him and oversaw the search. Despite Thomas's perfect packing method, the Colonel knew exactly where to look, having been tipped off by Thomas himself during their prior meeting. The Colonel took Thomas's bribe money but proceeded with the bust.

FELCN hell. After the arrest, Thomas endured thirteen days in brutal FELCN holding cells. He was starved, frozen, and denied basic necessities, refusing to confess or implicate others. This harsh experience, ironically, made him view the prospect of San Pedro prison as a potential improvement.

• Starved on bread and cold tea
• Froze in unheated concrete cell
• Developed severe cough, spitting blood
• Police stole possessions, denied doctor
• Attempted escape in Colonel's office

2. San Pedro Prison: A Bizarre Self-Governing City

It was the gateway into the strangest place I have ever visited.

Not a typical prison. Upon arrival, Thomas was shocked to find San Pedro was unlike any jail he imagined. It was a sprawling complex resembling a small city, with families living inside, restaurants, shops, and a unique social structure. New inmates were required to pay an entrance fee and purchase their own cells.

Sections and hierarchy. The prison was divided into sections with varying levels of luxury and safety, from the five-and-a-half-star Posta for wealthy politicians to the dangerous, impoverished inside sections. Inmates governed themselves through elected delegates and treasurers, managing section funds and property.

Families inside. Perhaps the most striking aspect was the presence of inmates' wives and children living permanently within the walls. With no economic opportunities outside, this was often the only way families could stay together, despite the inherent dangers and challenges of raising children in a prison environment.

• Sections: Posta (5.5-star), Pinos (5-star), Alamos (4-star), San Martin, Prefectura, Palmar, Guanay, Cancha (inside sections)
• Required fees: Entrance fee, section fee, cell purchase, title transfer fee
• Inmate jobs: Cooks, barbers, mechanics, shopkeepers, real estate agents
• Children attended outside schools daily

3. Survival in Prison: Money, Connections, and Resilience

You must have some money, otherwise you can’t survive.

Initial struggles. Without money or connections, Thomas faced extreme hardship upon entering San Pedro. He slept outside in the cold, was attacked by other inmates, and struggled to obtain food and basic supplies. His initial attempts to sell swallowed cocaine were met with laughter, as the prison was the source of cheaper, purer drugs.

Finding allies. Thomas's luck changed when he met Ricardo, a charismatic American-Bolivian inmate who took him in, provided food, shelter, and guidance on navigating the prison's complex social and economic landscape. Ricardo taught him the importance of appearing tough and understanding the unwritten rules.

Earning respect. After being repeatedly attacked for being a foreigner, Thomas decided to fight back, confronting and beating the leader of a gang. This act, though risky, earned him a degree of respect and deterred further random assaults, demonstrating the need for physical resilience in this environment.

• Ricardo provided initial support and guidance
• Learned to appear tough to deter attackers
• Received help from British Embassy and charity "Prisoners Abroad"
• Used money from outside contacts to buy a cell

4. The Prison Economy: Capitalism Behind Bars

San Pedro prison, apart from being a social microcosm, is also a microeconomy that operates under basic capitalist principles.

Everything has a price. San Pedro operated as a fully functioning economy where inmates had to pay for everything, including their accommodation. Cells were bought, sold, and rented, with prices fluctuating based on supply and demand, much like a real estate market.

Inmate businesses. To survive and afford necessities, inmates ran various businesses. These ranged from essential services like restaurants, shops, and laundries to specialized trades like mechanics, carpenters, and even lawyers. The most profitable, however, was the black market, particularly the drug trade.

Cocaine production. San Pedro was a major production hub for cocaine. Labs operated secretly within cells at night, refining pasta básica smuggled in by wives. This provided inmates with a source of income and tourists with access to cheap, pure cocaine, highlighting the deep-seated corruption that allowed such operations to flourish.

• Cell ownership with legal titles
• Businesses: Restaurants, shops, laundries, mechanics, artisans
• Black market: Drugs (cocaine, base), counterfeit money
• Cocaine labs operated in cells at night
• Guards often complicit for bribes

5. The San Pedro Tours: A Unique Business Venture

Thomas the tour guide.

Accidental beginning. Thomas's career as a prison tour guide began unexpectedly when Israeli backpackers, who had heard about the unique prison, visited him. Realizing the potential, he started offering tours, initially to earn money and later as a way to connect with the outside world and distract himself from his legal troubles.

Popularity and growth. Word of mouth, fueled by the prison's bizarre reputation and later a mention in the Lonely Planet guidebook, led to a surge in tourist visitors. Thomas became the main guide, known for his engaging stories and willingness to show visitors the realities of prison life, including the drug use.

Navigating challenges. Running the tours required constant negotiation and bribery with the police, who demanded a cut of the profits. Thomas also had to manage jealousy and threats from other inmates and gangs who wanted a share of the business, eventually partnering with powerful figures like Lucho for protection.

• Started with Israeli backpackers
• Gained popularity through word of mouth and guidebooks
• Required bribing police for entry permission
• Faced competition and threats from other inmates/gangs
• Partnered with bodyguards (Lucho, Cartagena) for safety

6. Relationships in Prison: Unexpected Bonds and Heartbreak

Doing time is a real test of friendship.

Forming deep connections. Despite the harsh environment, Thomas formed significant relationships. Ricardo became a father figure and mentor, helping him survive the initial period and navigate prison life. Abregon became a trusted business partner and "brother," sharing secrets and relying on mutual loyalty.

Love and loss. Yasheeda, an Israeli backpacker, brought light and joy into Thomas's life, living with him in the prison and providing emotional support. Their relationship offered a glimpse of normalcy and hope for a future outside, making her eventual departure and the subsequent lack of contact particularly devastating.

Betrayal and loyalty. While some relationships, like those with Ricardo and Lucho (despite occasional conflicts), proved resilient, others ended in betrayal. The Velascos, whom Thomas helped financially, later implicated him in new charges. Abregon's tragic death and the circumstances surrounding it highlighted the fragility of trust and the harsh realities of prison life.

• Ricardo: Mentor and friend
• Yasheeda: Girlfriend, source of hope, left unexpectedly
• Abregon: Business partner, "brother," died in Chonchocoro
• Mike: Eccentric friend, chef, struggled with addiction
• Lucho: Bodyguard, powerful ally, sometimes challenging

7. Corruption and Betrayal: The Constant Threat

This man had invited me to his house... And then he had betrayed me.

Systemic corruption. Corruption permeated every level of the Bolivian justice and prison system. From the initial arrest orchestrated by Colonel Lanza to the lawyers and judges demanding bribes for favorable outcomes, money dictated outcomes more than justice.

Police complicity. Guards and officers were deeply involved in illegal activities, facilitating drug production, smuggling, and even car theft rings. They demanded bribes for everything, from basic necessities to allowing visitors and turning a blind eye to criminal enterprises within the walls.

Inmate manipulation. The corrupt system fostered an environment where inmates also manipulated and betrayed each other for personal gain. The Velascos' setup, designed to frame Thomas, exemplified how personal debts and power struggles could lead to devastating consequences, even among fellow prisoners.

• Colonel Lanza's setup at the airport
• Lawyers demanding large bribes for trial outcomes
• Guards accepting bribes for contraband and privileges
• Velascos framing Thomas over a debt
• Police involvement in inmate criminal activities

8. Solitary Confinement: A Descent into Hell

That place was hell on earth.

Punishment and isolation. Following the Velascos incident, Thomas was sent to La Grulla, the solitary confinement section. Conditions were brutal: extreme cold, darkness, lack of food and water, and constant psychological torment from the guards. Communication was severely restricted, leading to intense loneliness and despair.

Physical and mental toll. The harsh environment quickly deteriorated Thomas's health, causing weight loss, infections, and blood in his urine. The isolation and degradation inflicted by the guards took a heavy mental toll, pushing him to the brink of suicide and making him question his sanity.

Human rights facade. A visit from a human rights delegation, orchestrated by the guards to appear as if conditions were acceptable, highlighted the superficiality of oversight. The guards temporarily improved conditions and provided food, only to revert to their cruel treatment once the delegation left, demonstrating the lack of genuine accountability.

• Extreme cold, darkness, lack of amenities
• Guards' psychological and physical abuse
• Deprivation of food, water, and communication
• Witnessing fellow inmates' suffering (Samir)
• Brief, superficial human rights visit

9. Transformation and Uncertainty: Life After La Grulla

They made me want to be honest.

Release and reflection. After 66 days in solitary, Thomas was released, physically and emotionally scarred. The experience, coupled with Abregon's death and the betrayal by the Velascos, profoundly impacted him, leading to a period of depression and a re-evaluation of his life and values.

Shift in perspective. The relationships forged in prison, particularly with the tourists who visited him, taught Thomas the value of genuine connection and honesty. He realized that true freedom wasn't just about being outside the walls, but about personal integrity and the quality of his relationships, leading him to abandon his desire for revenge against Colonel Lanza.

New challenges. Despite his personal growth, Thomas faced immediate challenges upon release. The prison was in turmoil after the child's murder, leading to stricter rules and the loss of his tour business to rival gangs. He also received devastating news: new charges related to the Velascos incident, threatening to extend his sentence significantly and casting a shadow over his uncertain future.

• Released after 66 days in solitary
• Profoundly impacted by experiences and deaths
• Valued genuine connections over wealth/adventure
• Lost tour business to rival gangs
• Faced new charges and potential long sentence

Last updated: June 10, 2025