Avalanche - The Anarchist correspondence zine Avalanche - The Anarchist correspondence zine 2 | Page 26

About the arrests of
three anarchists in Mexico
Letter from Amélie - Mexico - February 2014
February 23, Santa Martha prison, Mexico DF
On the evening of January 5, I was arrested with my
comrades Fallon and Carlos for allegedly attacking the
office of the Federal Secretary of Communications and
Transportation of Mexico, and also a Nissan dealership. Windows were broken and molotov cocktails
were thrown inside the ministry, (according to what
the evidence says) and inside the new cars of the dealership. Damages are evaluated to more than 70 000
pesos at the ministry and 100 000 pesos at Nissan.[1]
Indeed, I’m an anarchist and live in Montreal, Canada.
I was traveling in Mexico, and now my trip is being
prolonged some time.
After being arrested, they locked us up for 96 hours,
and then transfered us at the Federal Centre of Arraigo
– without prior having seen a judge. We were held
captive for 40 days. In a cell, 23 hours per day, a cigarette a day, smoked in 10 minutes; 3 meals per day, but
with only 10 minutes to eat each time, without talking;
not allowed to have a pencil; 9 minutes of phone per
day… In short, it was a long wait, and there was nothing more than Mexican “telenovelas” playing on tv all
day. Luckily our friends sent us some books! Thanks, I
don’t know how I could have survived without.
On day 40, the General Prosecutor of the Republic
(PGR – federal) transfered our files to the PGJ (state

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police) because they have no evidence to charge us of
a federal crime. Thus, since February 17, Fallon and I
are at “Santa Martha” State penitentiary for women
in Mexico City, where we were transfered, and Carlos
is at “Oriente” State penitentiary for men 20 minutes
from us. Here, it’s a micro-society surrounded by cement and barbed-wire, but where you can do as you
wish inside.
At the moment of writing this text, its 7:30 am. I’m
in the yard and I’m looking at the sun rising behind
the watchtower occupying the scenery. Actually, I almost feel like I’m in the yard of an apartment block
when i look at the building with clothes hanging from
windows without bars. There’s plenty of pigeons, garbagecans, yellowed grass, and barbed-wire. There’s
also plenty of people with their own stories.
Prisons are necessary for maintaining social peace, as
are cops. It is the domination and control that permits
this sickening world to persist. Prison means fear, the
unknown, shame, solitude, isolation. Society is the domestication of individuals into “good citizens”. Thus,
my strength as individual takes root in the refusal of
fear being a limit in my life. For sure I’m afraid, like
everyone, of many things, but my desires of freedom
are stronger. Fear is often constructed, and is deconstructed when we face it. What’s important is to see
further, beyond the boundaries and borders, beyond
the walls, mountains, rivers and oceans.