Justo Márquez, a 60-year-old cancer patient from Granada, Spain, made an unusual request earlier this month to be incarcerated into the Alhaurín de la Torre jail in Málaga, Spain, in a move that ignited debate in Spain over the issue of loneliness and social and healthcare services.
Standing near Alhaurín de la Torre prison, the man whose only experience with prison dates back to when he was 17, held a sign that read, “I want to go to jail.” Since he was jailed in his youth for drug use, Mr. Márquez has been a law-abiding citizen.
At odds with his law-biding conduct, Mr. Márquez’s unusual plea was mainly motivated by a desperate need for companionship and assistance while facing his deteriorating health.
Mr. Márquez, whose health problems extend beyond cancer, encompassing heart issues and mental health problems, has sought help from mental health services but to no avail.
“I can’t find help anywhere, and being jailed is my last escape, but I don’t want to commit any crimes to be jailed,” Márquez said in description of his desperate search for an exit from a crippling loneliness.
Justo Márquez had the opportunity to speak with prison officials, but his plea for voluntarily going behind bars without law infractions was turned down.
His plight, however, has ignited debate about the adequacy of social and healthcare support for patients facing severe health challenges.
Justo Márquez has started to have problems with his 45-year-old wife since a prostate cancer diagnosis was disclosed to the couple in 2020.
Abandoned by his wife and children, Mr. Justo Márquez has had to undergo cancer surgery and chemotherapy alone.
Three of his kids are over 18 while the two minors are 16 and 9. ” Besides my loneliness, I haven’t been able to see my children since June,” he deplored in an interview with EL ESPAÑOL. “I just go outdoors and I start crying. I used to go out with my little daughter to eat Ice Cream.”
