Islas Marías: from a maximum security prison to a tourist center, so you can visit the “water walls”

The first stage of rehabilitation is hardly complete, but The federal government sees more and more that the former prison of the Marías Islands is visited by occasional tourists and not by permanent prisoners, many of them are guilty of heinous crimes, but still others, confined by their way of thinking.

Considered a maximum security penitentiary center, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador put an end to this story in honor of José Revueltas and the other political prisoners who were locked there for their anti-regime ideas. As a criminal it worked for over a century, from 1905 to 2019.

Now the authorities have detailed what will be the places to visit in the archipelago, named World Heritage by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 2005.

According to Mexican government estimates, the tourist complex will be accessible to the public from next July. Until then they must solve transportation problems, whether ships are built by the navy or purchased from a company. Will also be extension of arrival and departure stations.

Miguel Torruco, Secretary of tourism, specified that the “Muros de Agua Center for Environmental and Cultural Education – José Revueltas” (part of the global Islas Marías project on the mother island) This will only be for national and international visitors in excursion mode, that is to say, those who do not sleep on site and stay less than 24 hours. The manager assured that inclusive, ecologically responsible and equitable experiences would be offered.

“Although at one point There were thousands of people who inhabited these islands, now it is necessary to ensure that there are few visitors. You will not be able to camp or have hotels; is coming in the morning, have enough time, choose the plan that will be broadcast in advance to visit the islands ”, underlined President López Obrador.

Torruco announced that people can leave from Mazatlán, Sinaloa or San Blas, Nayarit. During the tour, they will observe the beauty of the ocean on board the ships. According to the Secretary of the Navy, responsible for the management of the islands, the ferries will arrive at an anchorage area, 870 meters southeast of Puerto Balleto on the island of Maria Madre.

Of the, Small Tender type boats will be lined up alongside the ship and will be taken on board by visitors to the quay. Then you can go to various attractions of the old prison. The return will also be made by the quay to the ship and from there to Mazatlán.

The Secretary of Tourism stressed that the activities include visits to the site museum, where tourists will learn about the history of the prison, how the inmates lived, as well as biographies of inmates famous for their crimes.

This site is ideal for hiking, from the Balleto to the monumental Christ. The same are considered bike rides to explore the other side of the Balleto, where is the old one airport. And from the Mirador del Centro Cultural you can enjoy majestic sunsets.

Before returning to the ship These will be attractive stops in the center of Balleto such as the typical market, the craft shop with objects made in different regions of the country, the souvenir shop, the Henequenera museum and the Plaza Benito Juárez.

Miguel Torruco compared this project with the Robben Island in South Africa, where the social fighter was imprisoned Nelson Mandela. Or like the island of Alcatraz, in San Francisco, USA, who jailed criminals of the stature al Capone; even with Devil’s Island in French Guiana, who had behind bars Henri Charrière, Butterfly.

“Imagine what José Revueltas would think, that surely -as I said on other occasions, great personalities- surely he is attentive, he is waiting, because They are among the men who never die, they close their eyes and stay to watchThe president was enthusiastic.

AMLO suggested that the experience of going to the Islas Marías could be completed by reading Revueltas’ novel, “Muros de agua”., text inspired by the experience inside the prison, where the writer was sent on two stays between 1932 and 1935, accused of communist.

“Only for literature, only the Revueltas are worth visiting the Marías Islands (…) is closing, close a prison, a prison, to open up a space of freedom for culture, for the protection of the environment, for the recreation of our history ”, assured the president.

Eduardo Redondo Arámburo, Under Secretary of the Navy, elected captain Jesus Salvador By Olaguibel Domínguez as governor of the islands and AMLO ratified the appointment. Additionally, the naval administrator noted that Energy installations and a wastewater treatment plant are already in place. A search and rescue station is also underway to preserve human safeguards.

The islands of María Madre, María Magdalena, María Cleofas and San Juanito are located 120 kilometers from San Blas and 170 kilometers from Mazatlán. Another starting point should be Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. The The transfer time will depend on the type of boat and could vary between four and six hours.

In February 2019, the government decided that the prison would become a cultural space for the protection of biodiversity. The detainees have been transferred to different prisons across the country in order to be closer to their families.

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