Behind Bars 2: The World’s Toughest Prisons – La Mesa, Mexico

Imagine spending up to 23 hours a day locked away in a two square meter cell, sharing it with up to eight other inmates. This is the reality for inmates at La Mesa prison, where the worst of the worst are sent.

Cartel bosses used to rule La Mesa and it was full of drugs, prostitution and violence. But now, the prison is carefully controlled and inmates are separated and locked away.

The documentary takes you through the day-to-day lives of some of the inmates. Francisco Javier Villa Padilla, a cartel killer sentenced for murdering police officers, has been in La Mesa for seven years. He knows that when he gets out, killers will be after him. Yet, every day in his tiny cell, he trains for the day he is released.

American Taylor Elliott Howard is also an inmate at La Mesa. Sentenced for car theft and possession of a weapon, he shares a cell with six fellow countrymen.

This 30-minute documentary is an eye-opening exploration into the dark world of La Mesa prison. Watch it and witness the harsh reality of life behind bars.