The Prison Infrastructure Master Plan Tour, organized jointly by the Justice and Human Rights Ministry and InvestChile, concluded on Friday, July 3, following visits to three European capitals—Madrid, London and Paris. The delegation met with construction, engineering and consulting firms to present investment and participation opportunities under the new Prison Infrastructure Master Plan.
The delegation included María Loreto González, Head of the Planning, Budget and Infrastructure Division at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry; Miguel Ángel Cornejo, Head of the Concessions Unit at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry; Colonel Angélica Briones, Deputy Director of Operations for the Chilean Prison Service; and Patricio Álvarez, InvestChile Infrastructure and Logistics Sector Lead, who was responsible for the itinerary and company relations.
During the tour, the Chilean delegation conducted technical visits to correctional facilities under construction in Europe to gain firsthand knowledge of the standards, technology and management models applicable to the national context.
A roadshow in the Spanish capital brought together representatives from eight construction, engineering and consulting firms interested in learning about the Chilean plan. The event was complemented by a series of bilateral meetings with companies that expressed concrete interest in participating in the investment and implementation of the projects outlined in the Master Plan. The delegation met with the Chilean ambassador in Madrid to outline the scope of the plan.
In London, the delegation met with representatives from Kier, a company that builds modular prison facilities, including HMP Elmley—one of the projects visited on the tour. Company representatives noted that they will soon complete construction of a new wing and other facilities at the site, increasing the prison’s capacity by 250 inmates. They explained that the project uses precast concrete rather than modular construction, reflecting safety standards that require a more robust system. Likewise, Kier representatives offered to provide the Chilean delegation with a detailed overview of all their prison projects, including photographic and audiovisual records of facilities built from scratch, like HMP Glasgow.
The delegation also visited the construction site of the Welland Oaks prison, managed by Wates. Their field visit, alongside representatives from the company and the Prison Supply Directorate, provided a firsthand look at the project’s progress and the technical standards being applied. The delegation also met with the staff of the Chilean Embassy in the United Kingdom to present the new Master Plan.
In Paris, the delegation met with Sébastien de Tramasure, CFO of Sodexo, which currently operates five prison concessions in Chile and has 20 years of industry experience in the country. The meeting also highlighted the company’s experience operating prison infrastructure in France and the United Kingdom and discussed details of the new Prison Infrastructure Master Plan—information considered relevant to the plan’s future stages.
At a bilateral meeting with Newrest, a supplier of institutional food services in Chilean prisons, the company discussed its sector experience and interest in the new Master Plan.
The delegation also presented the plan to the Chilean ambassador in Paris.
With the conclusion of this tour, the Justice and Human Rights Ministry and InvestChile aim to consolidate international stakeholders’ interest in the Prison Infrastructure Master Plan as part of efforts to modernize the country’s prison system through partnerships and foreign investment.
