Fortleza de Coyotepe

Now tourist attraction, this fort was once a compound run by the Sandistas until 1912 when the US marines intervened. 

The fort has a prison underneath he fort, and we took a tour.  This is a picture of one of the few light holes the inmates had. 

They were kept in cells of 15-40 people.  There was no electricity.  The tourguide told us not to walk in the cell areas, but in the hallways.  I'm not quite sure, but I think it's because this beateria-fest was only closed about 30 years ago, and he was afraid we might get ill.  It reeked of urine.

The people in captivity were usually considered traitors of the government or such.  They were often tortured.  There was one room that was pitch black, and they put people in there for years at time, and they went blind.  Another room still had the blood on the walls of victims of torture: tearing out fingernails, whipping, etc.  I asked if the torture was effective.  The guide said, "Yes, but often the information was false, and then they would kill the person for that."