The Cocaine Diaries: A Venezuelan Prison Nightmare (41 page)

Garita
: Literally means ‘sentry box’: denotes an inmate on lookout duties at the wing door.

Guantes
: Literally means ‘gloves’; in the context of this book it usually means boxing gloves.

Highlites: The name used by gringo prisoners for underbosses or second-in-commands, of which there are usually two.

Jefe
: Boss. Also referred to as
padrinos.

Luceros
: A
lucero
literally means ‘bright star’, but used in the plural it means ‘eyes’. In the context of this book it denotes cell-block foot soldiers or henchmen, who are the ‘eyes’ of the wing bosses.

Luz
: Literally means ‘light’, but it can also mean an incident coming to light, so in the context of this book it is the word cell-block bosses call out when they want inmates to assemble in the yard while they hide guns and drugs or deal with a prisoner they believe has stepped out of line.

Malandro
: Literally means ‘scrounger’ or ‘scoundrel’, but it is also used by inmates to denote a ‘hard man’.

Mama huevo
: Derogatory slang that basically means ‘cocksucker’.

Mañana seguro
: ‘Tomorrow for sure’: a common phrase used in Venezuela meaning something will be done tomorrow if it doesn’t happen today.

Maricón
: Literally means ‘weak’, but in the context of this book it is mostly used to refer to a gay man in a derogatory way, such as ‘fag’ or ‘queer’.

Masacre
: Massacre.

Número
: Literally means ‘number’, but in the context of this book it means the headcount performed by the prison cops.

Padrino
: Boss.

Pato
: ‘Duck’, as in the bird, not the verb ‘to duck’. Also used as a derogatory slang word for gay people.

Perico
: Literally means ‘parrot’, but in the context of this book it is slang for cocaine.

Pernocta
: The word used for visitors’ overnight stays in jail.

PWVs: Prisoners Without Visitors.

Rancho grande/cantina
: The big canteen in Los Teques.

Sapo
: Literally means ‘toad’, but in the context of this book it means ‘grass’ (i.e. an inmate who ‘rats’ on another or betrays the confidence of another).

Tobo
: The word used for a ‘bucket’, which each inmate used to store their belongings and to sit on.

Verde
: Literally means ‘green’, but in the context of this book it is slang for the Venezuelan National Guard because of their olive-green uniforms.

Visita
: Visit.

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Epub ISBN: 9781780574233

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Copyright © Paul Keany and Jeff Farrell, 2012

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First published in Great Britain in 2012 by

MAINSTREAM PUBLISHING COMPANY (EDINBURGH) LTD

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Edinburgh EH1 3UG

ISBN 9781780575643

This book is a work of non-fiction based on the life, experiences and recollections of the author. In some cases, names of people have been changed to protect the privacy of others. The author has stated to the publishers that, except in such respects, not affecting the substantial accuracy of the work, the contents of this book are true

Grateful acknowledgement is made to the band Aslan for kind permission to reprint lyrics from ‘Crazy World’ (on p. 164)

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