The story of a unique Mexican prison in the world … Without doors and guarded by the desert

In the commune of Mulege, in the state of Baja California Sura hundred years ago a very special prison, without doors and with many privileges for the prisoners, who were to return to prison in the afternoon, to the touch of a conch.

The famous prison without doors was built over a century ago and closed more than 60 years later in the Heroic Mulege, which currently has about 4,000 inhabitants and which, paradoxically, It was also built by the hands of the detainees.

A top of a mountain and standing out from all the houses in the city highlights the famous prison without doors, appointed to have a unique management and operating system.

As its name indicates, these facilities they did not have bars and prisoners that they have served their sentence they had the privilege of going out to the village provided that they would come back at six o'clock in the afternoon when they listened the sound of the conch.

The prison without doors was built to celebrate the first century of the Independence of 1810 in Mexico, in order of Porfirio Diazwho ruled from 1876 to 1911.

This job was in charge of the general Agustin Sanguina Calvillo, at the time, political chief of the districts of southern and northern Baja California, as explained by the historian and historian specializing in Baja California Luis Domínguez at the news agency Efe.

Nowadays, this particular penitentiary is a popular museum especially tourists who arrive by road and go to other tourist destinations such as La Paz and Los Cabos.

"Less violent prisoners left in the city work during the day. They therefore contributed to the progress and growth of the heroic Mulegé, "said the expert.

Domíguez said that even the prisoners had "the opportunity to attend dances and festivitiesbut without being able to have physical contact with citizenship ".

In the village, the prisoners executed carpentry, mechanical work, cleaning, masonry and crafts. But above all, they devoted themselves to fishing and farming.

The effectiveness of this system was that prisoners were aware of the lethality of the Southern desert of the Baja California Peninsula, so that the natural oasis crossing the city was in fact a good reason for not wanting to get away from the area.

"Tell the story that only one detainee tried to escapebut after three days and about die of dehydration He was saved by the best rider in the area, who was also a prisoner without prison gates, "said Dominguez, in an anecdote.

The museum's tour guide, Nayhelli Murillo, told the Spanish agency that this place receives thousands of visitors each year.

The prison itself is an exhibit.

And, in addition, their facilities show objects of everyday life former inhabitants of the region, who were given by themselves.

From hunting and fishing tools such as flint and arrowheads elaborated by the first settlers of the peninsula, up to guns of the Mexican revolution.

Tourists who visit their cells tell the tour guide "they do not conceive that the prisoners did not escape", convinced that currently" this type of prison can not be put in place ".

This building is an example of the prison life of his time.

But also arara reviews", a unique exercise, because in other places of the region, he is tempted promote said system, but the company is opposed.

Today at the Heroica Mulegé live the descendants of some prisoners. And although the prison without doors is already part of the history of the region, it has closed Decade 1970, is still well known to locals.