This exhibition created by Carlos Pedro Vairo, director of the Maritime and Prison Museum of Ushuaia (Museo Marítimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia), presents the history of the Prison of Ushuaia in Argentina. This "end of the world prison" was the subject of a major restoration campaign in the 1990s and is now a museum that can be visited all year round. Here is the link to access to the museum’s website (in Spanish and English): http://www.museomaritimo.com

The idea of a penal colony in Tierra del Fuego arose in 1882, a year after the Boundaries Treaty with Chile was signed. That same year, the Argentine Austral Expedition - commanded by Luis Piedra Buena - took place. Its scientific chief was Lieutenant Santiago Bove of the Italian Navy who should be the first who have indicated Tierra del Fuego as a suitable place for a penal establishment. There were already two successful examples in the world: France had penal colonies in New Caledonia and Algeria, and England had another in Australia.

In 1883, President Roca proposed a bill for a “Penal Colony in the South of the Republic” to the Senate. His objectives were to solve the penitentiary problem, to create a first settlement in those distant regions and to protect the sovereignty in creating a settlement.

Thus, the South Atlantic Expeditionary Fleet commanded by Second Lieutenant Augusto Lasserre aboard the “Paraná” Corvette set sail in 1884. The fleet consisted of the “Villarino” transport, the “Comodoro Py” station ship, the “Cabo de Hornos” small boat and the “Patagones”, “Bahía Blanca” and “Santa Cruz” cutters. The last three were sailing ships with no engine sailing with two officers, a pilot and a crew of about 9 to 15 men. It can be said that they were large heavy maneuvers “yachts”. They were assigned to minor missions, relief works, and were also used as aid for other units or as dispatch boat, etc. Even if the bill promoted by Roca never passed, the first civil convicts arrived in Tierra del Fuego. They were ten men chosen according their skills for the installation of a lighthouse and sub-prefecture of San Juan de Salvamento in Isla de los Estados. The convicts were to serve their sentences there. The town of Ushuaia was founded on October 12 that same year (law Nº 1532) and the Government of Tierra del Fuego was also created. The first governor was Don Félix M. Paz who arrived in November. He came with an employee who was convicted of murder - Serafín or Serapio Aguirre or Rodríguez. From then on, he was known as “gaucho Aguirre” and worked for different establishments.

Translation (French) and assembly: Jean-Lucien Sanchez, Laboratory of research and innovation of Prison Administration (Ministry of Justice).

Online edition: Delphine Usal

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