How can you get into the San Pedro prison in La Paz? (and out again)

The infamous San Pedro prison (El Penal de San Pedro) in La Paz is famous for having no security guards inside, the prisoners run it themselves. Families of the prisoners often live there too, and it's apparently possible to do 'tours' of the prison, also run by the prisoners. However it's hard to find information on this as no official tour company can be seen to endorse these, and I'm quite sure nobody would insure them either ;)

Any ideas?

Best Answer

You need to be a resident in Bolivia and have a reason for going in(know someone who is convicted).

If you go in you will probably take fleas home with you.

Source: I live in Tarija, Bolivia

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Can you still visit San Pedro prison?

You can't go insideIf the visitors paid enough, they were also allowed to stay the night and indulge in the jail's famous \u201cproduce\u201d. A lot of tourists go there today expecting the same situation, but, unsurprisingly, things have changed since the book was released in 2003.

Where do prisoners reside in the San Pedro prison?

Prison layout The names of the housing section are Posta, Pinos, Alamos, San Martin, Prefectura, Palmar, Guanay and Cancha. Of those, Posta, Pinos, and Alamos are considered the higher end communities and act similar to gated communities. Each section has a rating that indicates its housing quality.

What kind of prison is San Pedro?

So San Pedro inmates run the prison themselves, functioning as an independent community. They have developed rules, a political system and punishments, as well as a highly sophisticated economy. As far as prisons go, San Pedro is like a hotel. Its central location makes family visiting easy.

Are there prisons with no guards?

At an Apac jail, there are no guards or weapons, and inmates literally hold the keys. A visit to the Apac men's and women's prisons in Ita\xfana subverts all expectations about the penal system in Brazil, where overcrowding, squalor and gang rivalry regularly cause deadly riots.

Behind Bars: The World’s Toughest Prisons - San Pedro Prison – La Paz, Bolivia | Free Documentary

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Harvey Jarvis, Aaron Houston, Ignacio Palés, Leah Kelley

How can you get into the San Pedro prison in La Paz? (*and* out again)