Quote by Christopher Hitchens

Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so clear to me. If you care to imagine what any inadequate or cruel man might do, given unlimited power over a woman, then anything that you can bring yourself to suspect was what became routine in ESMA, the Navy Mechanics School that became the headquarters of the business. I talked to Dr. Emilio Mignone, a distinguished physician whose daughter Monica had disappeared into the precincts of that hellish place. What do you find to say to a doctor and a humanitarian who has been gutted by the image of a starving rat being introduced to his daughter's genitalia? Like hell itself the school was endorsed and blessed by priests, in case any stray consciences needed to be stilled.

Summary

This quote describes the author's realization of the extreme measures employed by governments in torturing individuals. The author touches on the notion that when faced with unlimited power over a woman, any cruel or inadequate man is capable of carrying out unimaginable acts, as witnessed in ESMA, a place notorious for torture. The author recounts a conversation with Dr. Emilio Mignone, a renowned physician whose daughter disappeared into ESMA, and highlights the brutal nature of the torture, such as the use of pornography and sadistic acts involving a starving rat. The mention of priests endorsing and blessing this institution adds further shock and disbelief to the author's account.