Marching Powder

San Pedro is Bolivia's most notorious prison. Small-time dealer Thomas McFadden found himself there. "Marching Powder" tells the story of how he navigated this dark world of gangs, drugs, and corruption, ultimately rising to the top. Thomas was in a bizarre world; the prison reflected all that is wrong in South American society. Inmates must pay an entry fee and buy their own cells; the alternative is to sleep outside and die of hypothermia. The wives and children of inmates often live in the prison as well, and high-quality cocaine is produced and sold there. Thomas made a living by giving tours of the prison to backpackers; he became a well-known figure in the backpacker community and was mentioned in the Lonely Planet guidebook for Bolivia. When he was told that his sentence could be lifted for a bribe of $5,000, it was the many backpackers who sent him the money.