THE ALCATRAZ OF THE ANDES ESCAPE

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Alcatraz of the Andes escape in nineteen ninety six,
one of the most daring and cinematic prison escapes in
South American history occurred the high security prison of Santiago.
Nicknamed the Alcatraz of the Andes due to its fortified
structure and reputation for being inescapable, the event shocked the
nation and embarrassed Chilean authorities. Its four infinmates, affiliated with

(00:21):
the leftist gorilla group FPMR, managed to escape via helicopter
in broad daylight. The escape took place in December thirty
at nineteen ninety six, and was orchestrated by military level precision.
Four prisoners have been convicted for high profile political crimes,
including assassinations, during the aftermath of the Pinochet dictatorship. Their

(00:41):
incarceration in Santiago's maximum security was seen as the ultimate
containment for dangerous political radicals. However, the plan involved a plan.
The reputation devolved quickly after a plan involved a stolen helicopter,
which i had been hijacked days earlier by the FPMR
posing as tourists during a training flight. On the day
of the escape, the helicopter flew over the prison and

(01:04):
hovered briefly over the courtyard where the inmates had been
lowered during recreation time. A rope ladder was thrown down,
and the prisoners, already in position, quickly climbed aboard. The
entire operation lasted less than two minutes. The guards were
completely caught off guard. The prison's anti air defenses, if
they existed, were never activated. Authorities later discovered that months
of coordination had gone into the plot, including insider communication, training,

(01:26):
and surveillance. The escapees became instant folk heroes to some,
especially among those critical of Chile's handling of political prisoners.
The international hunt for the fugitives lasted for years. Some
were eventually recaptured in countries like Brazil and Mexico, while
the other disappeared into exile. The event remains controversial, held
by its sympathizers as the revolutionary act of resistance, while

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others condemned by the government as a humiliating breach of security.
You can see the incredible helicopter escape from the acclatraz
of the Andes exposed weaknesses in the Chilean penal system
and reminded of the word world that even the most
fortified prisoners are vulnerable to careful planning. I'll be curious
to see what the new Alcatraz the Alligator, the Alligator
Alcatraz of Florida will be like. Even though it's not

(02:09):
a prison, it's a detention facility. But we'll probably talk
about that next time.