Chilean prisons: Having the revolt on the brain!

Letter of comrade José Miguel Sánchez Jiménez for the info event which took place on January 11, 2014 in the squat La Gatonera, in solidarity with long-term anarchist prisoners

Brothers and sisters in struggle in Madrid, Spain.
Present.

Thinking of the distance that these words will make until they reach you, bringing with them a cry of total emancipation across the globe, I greet every single one of you with my fist raised, to the sound of the revolt, appreciating wholeheartedly the activity held for prisoners serving long sentences, a gesture that revitalizes to continue battling against the prison society and confront Power in all its facets.

In reality I do not know how to start this letter to you; I could not even sleep well these past few days… it must be due to the anxiety I feel for getting closer to the date of completing my conviction (February 27, 2014). I look back and relive beatings, tortures, riots, prison violence, and so on. During the 20 years of my captivity, this has been the constant, and I resisted and gave the battle… and here I am, reminiscing, thinking of so many comrades who will remain incarcerated, and I am filled with sadness to know they will continue to be part of the prison society, a beast whose jaws are eager to devour and subdue warriors.

My thoughts are with all those who will stay in prison, the brothers and sisters in struggle against Power. I send to them all of my affection, strength, courage and respect, reminding them that they will never be alone; our struggle will be their companion and our blows an inducement that will accompany them throughout their incarceration. The commitment that I make to them, before you, is to not let a single day pass without fighting for the destruction of the prison society, not let a single day pass without attacking Power by all means, yet never making truces or compromises.

During my obligatory time in prison, I got to know many penal institutions of this mediocre country called $hile. In every prison, a different system of domination, where you’ll never find a rich person, only poor people, a true mirror of external reality; where state violence stands out in all its rawness, where the prisoner is just another subordinate, where the beatings by prison guards are daily bread and butter… fuck this shit.

Thus, thinking of so many walls and bars, these lines have manifested themselves in this paper, devoting these moments to you, to those who make us feel the fire of rebellion in action through this gesture of solidarity with long-term prisoners. To every brother and sister who hears these words, to you a fraternal embrace, revolutionary affection and a battle cry against everything that’s established.

Having the revolt on the brain.

Fraternally yours,
José Miguel Sánchez Jiménez.
January 10, 2014.
Ex Penitenciaría of Santiago – Calle 9

PS. My greetings, affection, respect and strength to my little brother Francisco Solar (Panchito), Mónica Caballero and all those who are incarcerated in Spain and the whole world.

For the destruction of the prison society
For total emancipation