I was in San Pedro prison this week seeking out a carpenter (as you do: "Best rates, work guaranteed, sorry we can not do call-outs"), and had a chance to speak to a few folk who'd been around during the Thomas McFadden/Marching Powder era. Anybody reasonably familiar with La Paz will be well aware that there are a few parts of the book where the facts have not been allowed to get in the way of a good story, such as the duty-free bit at the start. While I don't doubt that the book is still in the large part factual, or pretty close to it, I found out a couple of things which might interest folk who have read it:
1. Despite claims to be British and from Liverpool, McFadden is in fact South African.
2. Not mentioned in the book is that some time after starting the tours, he was very badly beaten up by several other inmates pissed-off at his operation.
3. McFadden and his helpers actually made very little money from the tours. Most was kept by the guards themselves.
4. Rusty Young, the Marching Powder author, became unpopular amongst the inmates during his period in the jail, being variously described as "a right cock-head" and worse! He's currently researching/writing a book on paramilitaries in Colombia.
5. Thomas McFadden's minder during his time inside, described in the book, is the same bloke currently looking after Stuart Sierra, the Zimbabwe guy who several folk off TT have been to visit.
Should be back in next week so shall try and dig some more info.
Hiýa !
Well.. i have been extremely fascinated by the prison and managed to get inside a few weeks ago...but to see kenneith the south african in the slightly priviledged section...and he showed me around, as well as some of the "pent house" rooms....have been trying to get into the poblacion section....the rougher part and the harder one to get into...
was wondering if you have names of any english speakers inside the poblacion section. i really would appreciate a name. Also, on visiting days do they ask you for your ID?.
i went yesterday to briefly have a chat with a bolivian called david...apparently he´s the president of prisoners....lol...!!but couldnt get me in as there were already too many people, because of the public holiday....he says he might be able to get me in this week...need to ring him tomorrow...but would rather have an english speaker, as david speaks so fast, and my spanish is only average, and cant keep up with his high speed....! any ideas...
Doesnt surprise me that most of the money is kept by the guards...kenneth asked me to bring 50 Bolivianos, which he claimed goes to the "Teniente" with whom he made arrangements with to get me in, but i wont be surprised if he gets some...probably a 30% share only!
Another question...why would the prisoner pretend to be British when he was south african...what was the point of him lying about his nationality...?
Also, I am intrigued by the idea of you going inside to source a carpenter....sounds quite funny....how does that work then?
Would love to know more about this crazy prison from you...
thanks!
Hi. Aye, you need either a Bolivian foreigner's ID card or a letter from the Director of Prisons to get in on visiting days (Thursday/Sunday) from my experience. They keep your ID at the section entrance and give you a laminated card and a stamp & number on your forearm. There definitely IS an English speaker in Poblacion, I think he's South African too, but I don't know the guy. Maybe give Kenny or Stuart a call to get the name, as they know of him. The prison payphone number is (2) 2130416. Bear in mind that the line is tapped. Otherwise, asking the mob at the main gate might work, though I'd try ringing first before getting involved with that lot. Be very careful going in the Poblacion side - it's not safe as I'm sure you know. Carpenter wise, we need some work done and the blokes on the inside are cheap, that's all! :) There are all sorts of legitimate businesses in there - TV repairs, at least one printer, leatherworkers etc - plus the usual dodgy stuff going on. Good luck!
Hi Standanista!
I have got to thank you about putting up a post a while ago regarding Mike the New Yorker...!! I met him...but outside the prison....in an internet cafe....he was shouting his lungs out asking if anyone spoke english...i´d come across him in a cafe a few days ago, but ignored him...
anyway....after ignoring him, my ears pricked up as he started begging an american guy for some money to make a phone call to his mother as he had just been let out of san pedro prison...I offered him 5 bolivianos to get some inside info....and ofcourse i was shocked as hell when he introduced himself as mike from new york, remembering well how you had written a warning about him...
anyway...i had fun seeing how he was trying to con me out of 50 bolivianos, and said that was how it worked...he needed it to give it straight to the cops at the entrance to get me in...that´s how it worked with kenneth, but thanks to your post i held strong reservations about this working with him...anyway...i hung out with him just to see how far he would go to try and scam me for my own entertainment purposes.....
very, very interesting and amusing....i learned from another source, that he actually has been out of jail for some time anyway, and he uses this scam to con various tourists....but thanks to your post i saved myself humiliation...and instead got entertainment from his entire act etc....too long to explain....so thanks heaps!! I even had the idiot buy me a really cheap breakfast...as i got a whole load of bullshit stories from him much to my amusement....lol...
btw...i remember you had described mike in a previous post as a black guy-......unless there is someone really like that in there....but this sucker isnt black...quite latin looking, short as a midget, and from another source I also found out that he´s actually bolivian....apart from the bad acting he put infront of me in "Trying to arrange things for me" he sure pulled of the new york accent very well!!
"I am intrigued by the idea of you going inside to source a carpenter....sounds quite funny....how does that work then? "
Carpenters are notoriously hard to get hold of in this country, so at least we know where to find the bugger when we need him!
Matt
yeah - ive never really thought he looked black either but some people do think that (Ali G syndrome). Incidentally there should be a link to a photo of him appearing very soon on this forum ........ damn fine pic it is too
oH the findings are becoming more and more interesting with a few more events regarding San Pedro and the contacts in the past few days!! slowly working my way to get into the rough section....what a mission!! but there may be luck...who knows?! time will tell...!
I´ve just started reading Marching Powder as of today....
As for Thomas claiming to be british when he´s actually from S Africa...in the beginning of the book, Rusty Young does say "he had a strange accent for an Englishman!"
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