| In Honduras Drug Trial
Cooperator Rivera Quotes Fuentes on JOH &
Coke As Call-in Line To Close
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
March 15 – The Honduras
narco-trafficking trial of US
v. Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez
began on the morning of March
9. Inner City Press was
there.
Inner
City Press
live tweeted
the first
opening
argument here.
And then the
first witness,
DEA Agent
Brian
Fairbanks, to
the end of the
day, here.
Now on March
15, more testimony
by cooperator
Leonel
Rivera, and a
professor also
questioned in
the Tony
Hernandez
trial by
the prosecutors - who
in this
trial have
pushed for,
and won, an oral
oral cutting
off the
call-in line during
at least two
witnesses,
over Inner
City Press'
objection.
Inner City
Press
continued live
tweeting on
the afternoon
of March 15, here:
now
it's re-direct
examination of
Leonel Rivera
by the US
Attorney's
Office (which
is still
asking to cut
access during
the upcoming
testimony of
two witnesses
- when?)
Re-direct:
AUSA: Mr.
Rivera, did
you record
meeting with
Tony
Hernandez? Leo
Rivera: Yes.
AUSA: And with
Mr. Rosenthal,
a money
launderer and
a member of
the government
of Juan
Orlando
Hernandez? Leo
Rivera: Si,
senor.
More
re-direct:
AUSA: You were
asked about
the murder of
Mr. Palacios'
girlfriend,
Ms. Sanchez.
Did you know
she had been
killed? Leonel
Rivera: I did
not know. No
sabia, senor.
AUSA:
And General
Aristides - at
the time of
your
surrender, had
you been
charged with
that murder?
Leonel Rivera:
No. No senor
en ningun
momento. AUSA:
Did you plead
guilty to it
and tell the
DEA about the
participation
of other drug
traffickers
like the
Valles?
AUSA:
And in the
MCC, what did
the defendant
tell you?
Leonel
Rivera: He
said he had
videos to show
how Juan
Orlando
Hernandez was
receiving
shipments of
cocaine in the
airports of
San Pedro Sula
and
Tegucigalpa...
Leo
Rivera: ...
and that he
did it right
in front of
the DEA but
they didn't
realize it.
That Juan
Orlando
Hernandez was
laughing at
the DEA.
AUSA:
May I have a
moment to
consult?
[Pause] No
further
questions. Leo
Rivera is led
out. Gracias
su senoria, he
says.
As
witness box is
prepared,
Judge Castel
tells jurors
that Wednesday
is St.
Patrick's Day
"for those of
you who
celebrate the
holiday." Next
witness:
Dario Euraque
[not yet the
bookkeeper]
Note: Inner
City Press
covered him
last time, here
AUSA:
Is there a
term limit for
serving as
president of
Honduras?
Professor
Euraque: There
was until
2014, when the
National Party
argued that
Article 239
was
unconstitutional.
AUSA: When was
JOH elected?
A:
2013. To
expire on
2015. Terms
limits removed
in 2015.
AUSA:
Is there
extradition
from Honduras
to the US? A:
It was
permitted in
1928, for drug
trafficking.
Then Pepe Lobo
met with the
US in Miami
Jan 18, 2012
and the next
day proposed
language
allowing
extradition.
AUSA:
Who is Polo
Crivelli? A:
Mayor of
Chaloma since
2005. AUSA:
Who was Rafael
Leonardo
Callejas
Romero? A:
President of
Honduras 1990
to 1994.
AUSA:
Was he known
as being
corrupt?
Fuentes'
lawyer:
Objection!
Judge Castel:
I'll allow it
A: Yes
AUSA:
Are you
familiar with
Mel Zelaya.
A: He
was president
2006 to 2009.
AUSA:
And Ricardo
Alvarez? A: He
is vice
president
under Juan
Orlando
Hernandez...
AUSA: No
further
questions.
Defense
estimates
20-30 minutes
of
cross-examination.
Defense:
So there's the
Liberal and
National
party, right?
Do you agree
that the
National Party
is not
associated
with
nationalistic
policies? A:
Possibly.
Defense:
Then there's
the Lever
party? A:
Libre.
Defense: And
you support
them. A: I may
have, yes.
Defense: You
would agree
that the US
and Honduras
have a healthy
relationship,
right?
AUSA:
Objection.
Judge Castel:
I'll allow it.
AUSA: The two
militaries
work together,
right? A: Yes.
Defense: Is
San Pedro Sula
the deadliest
city in the
world? A:
Maybe in 2013
Defense:
And people
carry weapons
for
protection? A:
That's one of
the reasons.
Judge Castel:
We'll leave it
here for
today. [Jury
leaves] Judge
Castel:
Government,
what's next?
AUSA: Witness
1 and Witness
2, our letter.
[Which Inner
City Press
opposed]
Judge
Castel: I
received a
letter from
Inner City
Press [seeking
not cutting
the audio
line] Defense:
We would
prefer that
remain open.
But we could
not find a
case. Judge
Castel:
Masking the
voice is
easier said
than done.
Where did this
phone line
come from?
Judge
Castel: During
COVID, with
parties
calling in.
The AT&T
line was the
only way.
Since last
March, access
was limited
until
September,
then closed
again from
Thanksgiving
until February
15. This
courtroom is
open.
Judge
Castel: So
public access
that exists
today is the
equivalent of
what existed
for years.
Without
AT&T line,
no one has
been excluded.
I'm going to
grant the
government's
application.
In fact, I
don't expect
to continue
the AT&T
line in the
future
Judge
Castel:
"That's where
I am."
For now?
The case is US v. Diaz, 15-cr-379
(Castel).
***
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