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On the Inside: Venezuela’s Most Dangerous Prison
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| Prisoners preparing pipes used to smoke crack cocaine |
His name is Wilmer Brizuela, Wilmito to his friends, but to the inmates of Vista Hermosa, he is simply the Pran, the unquestioned leader of one of Venezuela’s notorious prisons. Outside its walls, the Venezuelan national guard patrols; inside, the inmates live and die in a world of their own making. Brizuela has occasionally allowed reporters to visit for a few hours, but earlier this year, he gave photojournalist Sebastián Liste and me exclusive, full access to the prison for more than a week, revealing an improvised society that mirrors the one outside.
他的名字是Wilmer Brizuela，朋友都叫他Wilmito；但對於Vista Hermosa的囚犯來說，他就是統領委內瑞拉一座惡名昭彰的監獄，無人質疑。監獄牆外，國家警察例行巡邏；監獄牆內，囚犯們過活或死去，處在一個隔絕的世界。Brizuela偶爾會讓記者進監獄參觀數小時，但在今年初，唯獨攝影記者Sebastián Liste 和我能夠整整待了一週以上，讓我們看見最真實的面貌，一如牆外世界的倒影。
Brizuela, who is serving sentences of 10 years for kidnapping and 16 years for murder, believes that his rule over the 1,400 inmates of Vista Hermosa (Beautiful View) in the southern state of Bolívar is more humane than that of the Venezuelan prison authorities, who have been widely criticized by human-rights groups for the overcrowding, poor living conditions and corruption in the country’s prisons. Gang violence is rampant; last year 591 inmates were killed, according to the Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons, a watchdog group. Under strongman Hugo Chávez, advocates and journalists who reported on abuses in Venezuela’s prisons faced intimidation and threats of violence; conditions have not improved since Chávez’s death.
Brizuela因綁架被判10年徒刑，也因謀殺多了16年刑期。但他深信，他所掌控的Vista Hermosa(美麗景色)，也就是位在玻利瓦爾州、關著1400囚犯的監獄，遠比委內瑞拉政府所管的要有人性。那些政府管轄的監獄，經常受到國際人權團體的批評，不是過擠、就是生活環境差，還有貪污腐敗的問題；幫派互毆十分猖獗。根據委內瑞拉監獄的瞭望人員，去年有591名死於鬥毆。在前總統查維茲強人的統治下，專門報導與撻伐委內瑞拉對犯人差勁待遇的人士，常被暴力恐嚇、威脅。而這些狀況，在查維茲死後，仍未改善。
他的名字是Wilmer Brizuela，朋友都叫他Wilmito；但對於Vista Hermosa的囚犯來說，他就是統領委內瑞拉一座惡名昭彰的監獄，無人質疑。監獄牆外，國家警察例行巡邏；監獄牆內，囚犯們過活或死去，處在一個隔絕的世界。Brizuela偶爾會讓記者進監獄參觀數小時，但在今年初，唯獨攝影記者Sebastián Liste 和我能夠整整待了一週以上，讓我們看見最真實的面貌，一如牆外世界的倒影。
Brizuela, who is serving sentences of 10 years for kidnapping and 16 years for murder, believes that his rule over the 1,400 inmates of Vista Hermosa (Beautiful View) in the southern state of Bolívar is more humane than that of the Venezuelan prison authorities, who have been widely criticized by human-rights groups for the overcrowding, poor living conditions and corruption in the country’s prisons. Gang violence is rampant; last year 591 inmates were killed, according to the Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons, a watchdog group. Under strongman Hugo Chávez, advocates and journalists who reported on abuses in Venezuela’s prisons faced intimidation and threats of violence; conditions have not improved since Chávez’s death.
Brizuela因綁架被判10年徒刑，也因謀殺多了16年刑期。但他深信，他所掌控的Vista Hermosa(美麗景色)，也就是位在玻利瓦爾州、關著1400囚犯的監獄，遠比委內瑞拉政府所管的要有人性。那些政府管轄的監獄，經常受到國際人權團體的批評，不是過擠、就是生活環境差，還有貪污腐敗的問題；幫派互毆十分猖獗。根據委內瑞拉監獄的瞭望人員，去年有591名死於鬥毆。在前總統查維茲強人的統治下，專門報導與撻伐委內瑞拉對犯人差勁待遇的人士，常被暴力恐嚇、威脅。而這些狀況，在查維茲死後，仍未改善。
Vista Hermosa is emblematic of these problems. Built in the 1950s to house 650 inmates, it now houses more than twice that number. As the population grew, clashes between prisoners and guards became common. Rather than improve conditions, prison authorities have allowed them to descend into near chaos. Since Brizuela, a champion boxer, and his gang took control of Vista Hermosa by force in 2005, drug use and violence are still widespread but tightly controlled. “So far we have achieved peace and a minimum of decent human living standards,” Brizuela says.
Vista Hermosa監獄建於1950年代，當時用來關650名犯人。但今日囚犯人數早已超過初始的兩倍，且隨著人數增長，囚犯與獄守的衝突日益頻繁，整個監獄有著過擠、生活環境差、幫派鬥毆等問題。這些狀況並未獲得改善，獄方反而無動於衷，讓秩序幾近混亂。雖然吸毒和鬥毆事件廣佈，但自從2005年，由曾是拳擊冠軍的囚犯Brizuela及他的手下暴力控管這座監獄後，已能掌控上述情況。他說，「目前為止我們擁有和平和人的基本生活條件。」
Vista Hermosa監獄建於1950年代，當時用來關650名犯人。但今日囚犯人數早已超過初始的兩倍，且隨著人數增長，囚犯與獄守的衝突日益頻繁，整個監獄有著過擠、生活環境差、幫派鬥毆等問題。這些狀況並未獲得改善，獄方反而無動於衷，讓秩序幾近混亂。雖然吸毒和鬥毆事件廣佈，但自從2005年，由曾是拳擊冠軍的囚犯Brizuela及他的手下暴力控管這座監獄後，已能掌控上述情況。他說，「目前為止我們擁有和平和人的基本生活條件。」
Entering Vista Hermosa during visiting hours feels a bit like stepping into the streets of a bustling slum. There are open-air vendors selling DVDs, medicine and snacks amid the unbearable heat and thumping techno music. There are plazas for dancing and a more formal ballroom for parties. In these areas, visiting women and children walk freely, the iron bars have been removed and the walls are freshly painted. The prison, like any society, has distinct subcultures. There are Christian evangelists, called varones, who live, pray and sing together and work hard to keep their spaces clean. Gay inmates have their own quarters, where they can live without fear of harassment.
進入Vista Hermosa監獄參觀數小時，感覺像踏進了喧鬧的貧民窟。這裡有露天的攤販，在難以忍受的酷熱和高分貝的電音舞曲中，兜售DVD、醫藥、小吃。這邊也有幾個能跳舞的廣場和辦party的正式大廳，來訪的女人和小孩在這自由走動，先前的鐵欄杆已被拆除、牆面也才粉刷不久。如同所有社會，這座監獄有獨特的次文化，包括人稱varon的基督福音士，他們群居生活、一起禱告、唱聖歌，辛勤打掃自己的環境；而同性戀也有屬於他們的區域，可以避開其他囚犯騷擾。
進入Vista Hermosa監獄參觀數小時，感覺像踏進了喧鬧的貧民窟。這裡有露天的攤販，在難以忍受的酷熱和高分貝的電音舞曲中，兜售DVD、醫藥、小吃。這邊也有幾個能跳舞的廣場和辦party的正式大廳，來訪的女人和小孩在這自由走動，先前的鐵欄杆已被拆除、牆面也才粉刷不久。如同所有社會，這座監獄有獨特的次文化，包括人稱varon的基督福音士，他們群居生活、一起禱告、唱聖歌，辛勤打掃自己的環境；而同性戀也有屬於他們的區域，可以避開其他囚犯騷擾。
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