Chile's Pinochet Henchmen to Trade Tennis Courts for Bars as Privileges Are Scrapped
A dramatic shake-up is unfolding in Chile as President Gabriel Boric plans to dismantle the country's notorious "Punto Peuco" prison, infamous for its luxury facilities and preferential treatment of human rights abusers. The correctional facility, once a symbol of the country's darker past under Gen Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship, will be transformed into a regular prison as part of an effort to address overcrowding in Chile's penitentiary system.
For years, inmates at Punto Peuco have enjoyed a far cry from the cramped conditions found in most Chilean prisons. The facility boasts tennis courts, barbecue facilities, a library, and even a television room – amenities that are unheard of in the majority of Chile's prisons. However, Boric has declared that this privileged treatment has no place in modern-day Chile.
"The fact that we have a special prison like this has no justification," Boric stated. "From today forward, we will no longer have first and secondary category prisoners. Places will be decided according to security criteria, not privilege... This is a step further in the direction of a more democratic Chile, which is more respectful of human dignity."
Punto Peuco currently houses 141 men with an average age of around 80 – mostly former members of Pinochet's intelligence service and secret police. One such inmate, Miguel Krassnoff, is serving a sentence of over 1,000 years for his involvement in human rights crimes.
While some have praised Boric's decision as a necessary step towards reform, others, including far-right presidential candidate José Antonio Kast, have criticized the move, accusing the president of seeking to build a legacy in the final months of his mandate. Communist candidate Jeannette Jara, however, has welcomed the change, stating that it "should always have been" this way.
The decision to close Punto Peuco comes on the heels of several previous attempts to dismantle the facility, including an effort by former President Michelle Bachelet in 2018. The prison was established in 1995 to house human rights abusers Gen Manuel Contreras and Brig Pedro Espinoza – both convicted of serious crimes.
As structural work begins at Punto Peuco, the facility will soon be rebranded as Tiltil Penitentiary, where new inmates are expected to arrive next year. The transformation marks a significant shift in Chile's approach to justice and its efforts to address human rights concerns.
A dramatic shake-up is unfolding in Chile as President Gabriel Boric plans to dismantle the country's notorious "Punto Peuco" prison, infamous for its luxury facilities and preferential treatment of human rights abusers. The correctional facility, once a symbol of the country's darker past under Gen Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship, will be transformed into a regular prison as part of an effort to address overcrowding in Chile's penitentiary system.
For years, inmates at Punto Peuco have enjoyed a far cry from the cramped conditions found in most Chilean prisons. The facility boasts tennis courts, barbecue facilities, a library, and even a television room – amenities that are unheard of in the majority of Chile's prisons. However, Boric has declared that this privileged treatment has no place in modern-day Chile.
"The fact that we have a special prison like this has no justification," Boric stated. "From today forward, we will no longer have first and secondary category prisoners. Places will be decided according to security criteria, not privilege... This is a step further in the direction of a more democratic Chile, which is more respectful of human dignity."
Punto Peuco currently houses 141 men with an average age of around 80 – mostly former members of Pinochet's intelligence service and secret police. One such inmate, Miguel Krassnoff, is serving a sentence of over 1,000 years for his involvement in human rights crimes.
While some have praised Boric's decision as a necessary step towards reform, others, including far-right presidential candidate José Antonio Kast, have criticized the move, accusing the president of seeking to build a legacy in the final months of his mandate. Communist candidate Jeannette Jara, however, has welcomed the change, stating that it "should always have been" this way.
The decision to close Punto Peuco comes on the heels of several previous attempts to dismantle the facility, including an effort by former President Michelle Bachelet in 2018. The prison was established in 1995 to house human rights abusers Gen Manuel Contreras and Brig Pedro Espinoza – both convicted of serious crimes.
As structural work begins at Punto Peuco, the facility will soon be rebranded as Tiltil Penitentiary, where new inmates are expected to arrive next year. The transformation marks a significant shift in Chile's approach to justice and its efforts to address human rights concerns.
gotta feel bad for those old dudes at Punto Peuco, been gettin' spoiled with all the amenities 
they're basically livin' like royalty while others struggle in the regular prisons... hope this change brings some much-needed reform and shows that Chile's serious about human rights 
not sure what José Antonio Kast is thinkin', it's a step forward for the country, let's keep movin' 
but on the other hand, isn't it harsh to take away their amenities and privileges without considering rehabilitation programs or alternative sentencing options? 
I mean, some of these guys are old and frail, do we really want to lock them up in a regular prison with no luxuries? 
he's trying to make their prisons less fancy and more chill 
i gotta respect that. maybe they can use the funds from closing Punto Peuco to build more community centers or something 
... It's almost like they're just trying to sweep the issue under the rug. And what about the guys who are serving serious sentences for their crimes? Don't they deserve some comfort and dignity?
... We need real systemic changes, not just cosmetic ones 
. anyway, think this could be a major step forward for the country, getting rid of special treatment like that is kinda embarrassing 
. wonder what other dark secrets are gonna come out when tiltil penitentiary opens its doors 
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! I mean, can you imagine having tennis courts and a library in prison? It's like they're trying to make the inmates feel all comfortable and stuff 
. Maybe this will inspire other countries to rethink their prison systems too? 
. And now they're all gonna be lumped in with everyone else? More like fairness for me, am I right 
. I'm curious to see how this whole thing plays out though. Will we ever really see a change in Chile's approach to justice or is this just some PR stunt 
?
. I mean, come on, tennis courts? That's just ridiculous 
. I feel bad for those guys who are going to lose their fancy privileges 
Anyway, I guess it's a step in the right direction, but still... not sure if it's gonna make that big of a difference 
. It's not too late to turn over a new leaf and try to be better people. And I think that's really admirable about President Boric - he's taking steps to make sure everyone is treated equally, even if it means giving up some privileges 
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. And can you blame him? It's not right that certain people get treated like royalty just because they've got some fancy connections 
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. Those Punto Peuco inmates might have been the best of the worst, but that doesn't mean they should be getting perks just because they're "special" 
. I'm excited to see how this all plays out and what kind of impact it has on Chile's justice system 
? like, these guys were literally living it up in prison with tennis courts and TVs... meanwhile, the rest of the country is struggling 
. I'm loving that President Boric is trying to make a change and actually prioritize human dignity over privilege 
. It's about time we address this kind of systemic inequality 
! It's about time someone takes away their pampered lives, you know? 
The fact that they get to enjoy tennis courts and a library while others have to deal with actual suffering is just not cool. 
, but come on! Can't we just keep some basic level of respect for those who've done some pretty heinous stuff? 
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. Those luxury tennis courts and fancy bars were basically a slap in the face to people who suffered under Pinochet's regime. It's about time someone actually did something about it 
. Boric is finally taking steps towards a more democratic and respectful country, which is a massive improvement 
. Anyway, it's progress, right? The government's trying to be more responsible and respectful of human dignity