Mexico · State of Mexico · Almoloya de Juárez
Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1 (Altiplano)
Data is aggregated from public sources and may be incomplete or out of date. Always verify with primary sources before acting on any figure. See data sources.
For families
How to send mail, money, and visit Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1 (Altiplano)
Step-by-step guidance using the Mexico system — addresses, money services, visit booking, what to bring on your first visit.
Mexico's flagship maximum-security federal prison, often referred to as 'Altiplano'. Houses senior cartel leaders and other high-profile inmates.
Capacity
836
Current population
720
Occupancy
86%
Year opened
1991
Operational
Figures from official sources · verified 20 May 2026 · methodology
Facility profile
Population held
male
Opened
1991
Region
State of Mexico
Security level
Maximum
Death-row facility
No
Conditions
Single-cell regime for high-security inmates. Recent reforms increased rotation and disciplinary controls following two cartel-leader escapes.
Visiting
Highly restricted; family visits via the OADPRS approved-visitor list. Legal counsel arranged via the federal public defender system.
Mailing
Mail screened by federal corrections.
Practical info
Subject of multiple documentary investigations; transparency limited.
Known issues
Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán escaped Altiplano in July 2015 via a 1.5 km tunnel. Caro Quintero, others escaped via separate methods historically.
Notable inmates
El Chapo Guzmán (re-captured 2016, extradited 2017), Rafael Caro Quintero (re-arrested 2022).
Contact & address
No public contact details available.
Conditions Risk Score
Derived signal — not a judgement. How it's calculated
- Overcrowding
- 0/30
- Oversight reports
- 0/30
- Structural flags
- 5/15
- Death signals
- 0/15
- Conditions text
- 0/10
What the score is responding to:
- · Substantial documented known-issues record
This facility scores 5. The national average across 629 scored Mexico facilities is 8 — 3 points below national average.
Related facilities
Same country, matched on type + security level where possible.
- CEFERESO No. 2 Occidente (Puente Grande)El SaltoMaximumFederal maximum-security
- CEFERESO No. 3 Noreste (Matamoros)MatamorosMaximumFederal maximum-security
- Centro de Reinserción Social ApodacaApodacaMixedState
- Centro Preventivo y de Reinserción Social Topo Chico (historic)MonterreyMaximumState (decommissioned)
- CRS CosamaloapanCentro de Reinserción Social
- CENTRO PENITENCIARIO SAN FRANCISCO KOBENState prison
Compared to other facilities in Mexico
628 peersHigher risk than 0% of peer facilities in Mexico.
Data completeness
92%How many of our profile fields are populated. We surface this so families and researchers know the limits.
Sources
- Human Rights Watch â Mexico
- Human Rights Watch â World Report — Human Rights Watch
- See /data-sources for our overall methodology.
Cite this page
Under CC-BY-4.0. Include the URL and access date; the site is a living reference and entries can change.
World Prisons. (2026). Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1 (Altiplano). Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://worldprisons.com/prisons/altiplano
"Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1 (Altiplano)." World Prisons. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://worldprisons.com/prisons/altiplano.
@misc{worldprisons-altiplano,
author = {{World Prisons}},
title = {Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1 (Altiplano)},
year = {2026},
url = {https://worldprisons.com/prisons/altiplano},
urldate = {2026-10-15}
}