Thread by @MatthewLeeICP

OK - now in Honduras ex-Prez JOH trial, Reynoso is done, US blocked report it sealed - now Manuel Prado takes the stand. Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below / Ahora - hilo a continuación patreon.com/posts/filing-f…

AUSA Tarlow: How do you find your translation work?
Prado: Word of mouth.
AUSA: How long has you worked as an interpreter?
Prado: 35 years.
AUSA: Do you prepare transcripts of audio and video recordings?
Prado: Yes.

AUSA Tarlow: We offer Manuel Prado as an expert... What did you review in this case?
Prado: Videos, audios, and text messages. When I am satisfied, I certify it.
AUSA: How long have you spent on this case?
Prado: 350 hours at $70 an hour.
AUSA: No more questions

Judge Castel: Cross examination?
JOH's lawyer Colon: Please look at the binder.
AUSA Tarlow: It's not in evidence. But we'll put it in.

Colon: Look at this exhibit - do you see the name Tony Hernandez? How is it spelled there?
Prado: Hernandes - you have to take into account the level education of the people writing the documents-
Colon: Move to strike.
Judge Castel: Sustained.

JOH's lawyer Colon: It's not your job to correct things, is it?
Prado: It depends --
Colon: Move to strike.
Judge Castel: Granted. Just yes or no.
Prado: No.
Colon: So you weren't accurate
Prado: I beg to differ

JOH's lawyer Colon: If J.O.H. is a female, la, what you have there is "JOH y su gente"
AUSA Tarlow: Objection!
Judge Castel: Rephrase your question.
Colon: If you see a "la" in front-
Prado: I don't see a "la" on this page.
Colon: Thank you.
AUSA: No re-direct

JOH's lawyer Colon: I have a few more.
Judge Castel: You sat down. Next time, please say "no further questions" so there's no ambiguity. But go ahead.
Colon: So "la" could mean a woman?
Prado: It could.
Now AUSA's redirect
AUSA: You found misspellings?
Prado: Yes.

AUSA Tarlow: Why did you switch s to z?
Prado: If the person writing the document was not that educated, no fix it.
JOH's lawyer Colon: Move to strike.
Judge Castel: Denied.
Prado: May I be excused?
Judge Castel: You are excused. Next witness
[It's Jennifer Taul

AUSA: Where do you work, Ms. Taul?
Taul: The DEA. We investigate drug trafficking. I had been in the Air National Guard in Arizona. We tracked trafficking routes from Mexico into Arizona. Then I went to Quantico, Virginia. I've taken Confidential Source Mgmt

AUSA: Then were did you go?
Taul: To EPIC in El Paso. Then I was assigned to Venezuela. I was the main analyst
AUSA: How did you investigate?
Taul: Human sources & other countries.
AUSA: In 2010 where did you go?
Taul: Tijuana. Then Bahrain, Afghanistan, Honduras

AUSA: Then where?
Taul: DEA's Special Operations Division or SOD. I was in BIU - the bilateral investigations unit. We looked at the top threats of drug trafficking, weapons, money laundering. I worked on Western Hemisphere, on cocaine. The Bogota, Colombia

Taul: Then in Colombia, I focused on paramilitary groups
Judge Castel: We're going to break for lunch
[Thread will continue here]
Taul: Luego en Colombia me centré en los grupos paramilitares Juez Castel: Haremos una pausa para almorzar. [El hilo continuará aquí]

They're back.
All rise!
Judge Castel: Remaining standing for our jury, please.
Jury entering!
AUSA: Ms. Taul, did you learn about the routes used to transport cocaine to the US?
Taul: Yes.
AUSA: We qualify Ms Taul as an expert.
Judge Castel: So ordered.

AUSA: What country is the greatest producer of cocaine in the world?
Taul: Colombia.
AUSA: What is a clandestine laboratory?
Taul: Hidden out of the way. A lab can be informal, a tarp overhead, drums of chemicals.

AUSA: What's a stamp?
Taul: Like on toast, a stamp saying "Good morning" and a rising sun.
AUSA: Like a brand... How many doses in a kilo?
Taul: It's pure, so 15,000 to 35,000. It depends how much they cut it.
AUSA: Describe the Central American route by air

DEA's Taul: The cocaine would be moved from Colombia to Venezuela then flown into Central America, Honduras
AUSA: What US state is Honduras as big as?
Taul: Pennsylvania.
AUSA: What kind of planes are used?
Taul: From crop dusters to large passenger plane.

Taul: They may add to the fuel capacity, they may take seats out, to land on clandestine air strips.
AUSA: What is the difference between a panga and a go-fast?
Taul: Only the speed. They can carry 200 to 800 kilos of cocaine.

AUSA: From San Pedro Sula where does the cocaine go?
Taul: El Paraiso...
AUSA: What influence do Mexican cartels have?
Taul: Significant, in Honduras as well as Guatemala.
AUSA: Who was El Chapo?
Taul: He ran Sinaloa.

AUSA: What were the prices in 2016?
Taul: Colombia $2000; Honduras $13,000; New York $40,000
AUSA: No further questions
Judge Castel: Cross examination?
JOH's lawyer Stabile: Does the DEA ask foreign countries to arrest people?
AUSA: Objection
Judge: I'll allow it

DEA's Taul: Yes, like if there's an Interpol warrant.
JOH's lawyer Stabile: How much time in your entire life have you spent in Honduras?
Taul: About a month.
Stabile: Did Honduras have more success combating drugs after 2014?
AUSA: Objection
Judge: Sustained

JOH's lawyer Stabile: Was San Pedro Sula the most dangerous place on earth in 2013?
Taul: I believe so
Stabile: Did it become safer?
Taul: I couldn't say.
Stabile: Do drug traffickers create misdirection if they think they are going recorded?
Taul: Coded language

JOH's lawyer Stabile: Are you familiar with the use of drones or catapults?
Judge Castel: I'm striking catapults. Next question.
Stabile: How about luxury brand stamps on cocaine - the El Paso program is called Fountainhead, yes?
Taul: Yes.
Judge Castel: Move on

JOH's lawyer Stabile: Have you been shown cocaine stamps related to this case?
Taul: No.
Stabile: Is there a policy against DEA informants committing murder while working for the DEA?
Judge Castel: Was this covered in direct?
Stabile: Informants were.

Taul: Murder is not condoned.
Stabile: What about DEA informants torturing people?
Taul: I assume not condoned.
Judge Castel: Let's take a break [Thread will continue]
Stabile: Tortura? Taul: Supongo que no lo acepto. Juez Castel: Descanso [El hilo continúa]

They're back - and Judge Castel is telling audience to be quiet
Judge: If we cannot have this number of spectators without it interfering with the jurors hearing, I'll have to close some of the rows in the gallery..
Next witness is Luis Perez.

AUSA Tarlow: Where are you from?
Luis Perez: From Colombia. But I have lived elsewhere, including Honduras. I trafficked in cocaine.
AUSA: How did you transport it?
Perez: In planes, helicopters, go-fast boats
AUSA: How much through Honduras?
Perez: 200,000 kilos

AUSA Tarlow: How much money to you make?
Luis Perez: $50 million.
AUSA: Did you contribute some of this to JOH's campaign?
Perez: Yes, in 2013. I gave $2,400,000.
AUSA: Were you a member of an organization?
Perez: Yes. The Sinaloa cartel. I worked for El Chapo

AUSA Tarlow: Were you charged with crimes in the US?
Luis Perez: Yes. I surrendered to the US authorities in Belize in May 2015.
AUSA: Did you plead guilty?
Perez: Yes.

AUSA Tarlow: Were you sentenced?
Luis Perez: Yes, in 2015 - then the government filed a motion to reduce my sentence based on my cooperation. It was reduced to 75 months.
AUSA: Have you served it?
Perez: Yes.

AUSA: Who did you pay, for JOH's campaign?
Perez: To Mario, the 2d highest official in Porto Cortez, Honduras.
AUSA: How were you using the Port, before meeting Mario?
Perez: Containers from Colombia.
AUSA: How much?
Perez: 10,000 kilos.

AUSA Tarlow: Who presented you to Mario?
Luis Perez: Fabio Lobo, son of the former president. And Fredy Najara.
AUSA: Did you discuss the Honduras presidential election with Mario?
Perez: Yes. Mid 2013. Mario wrote to us seeking financial help for JOH's campaign

AUSA Tarlow: How much did Mario request for JOH's campaign?
Luis Perez: $1 million.
AUSA: Did you provide it?
Perez: Yes. In two payments of $500,000 each.

AUSA Tarlow: Who gave the money?
Luis Perez: Arnulfo Valle, El Loco...
AUSA: Who passed along thanks?
Perez: Mario told me JOH said thanks for the contribution

AUSA: Did you discuss the Honduran president election with Arnulfo Valle?
Luis Perez: Yes... Arnulfo met with Tony Hernandez in Copan and arrived at agreements, he told me that the million dollars had been given, and got thanks

AUSA Tarlow: How were the drugs being moved in 2014?
Luis Perez: Helicopters. Registered in the US.
AUSA: Any seizure of your drugs after 2014?
Perez: No.
Judge: Cross examination.
JOH's lawyer Colon: Tell me about your crimes in Colombia.
Perez: I was in my 20s

JOH's lawyer Colon: Do you have a cooperation agreement?
Perez: Yes.
Colon: Let me ask you about obtaining false IDs - that was in 2012?
Perez: Yes.
Colon: Where?
Perez: Honduras.

JOH's lawyer Colon: Did you get the license?
Luis Perez: Yes. In San Pedro Sula. I was living there.
Colon: Did you use someone else's ID?
Perez: I think so. From a Mexican gentleman who they later tried to arrest
Colon: What documents?
Perez: Driver's licenses

Luis Perez: With the fake driver's license I got a passport and Mexican visa... I also paid an official at the Israeli embassy in Colombia
Colon: Was she a vice consul?
AUSA: Objection!
Judge Castel: Sustained.
Colon: How long?
Perez: 2008 to 2010

Luis Perez: This woman who carried money from Honduras to Colombia was an official of the Israeli embassy in Colombia.
Colon: How much did she transport? In total?
Luis Perez: Around $150 million.

JOH's lawyer Colon: You did this with the Sinaloa cartel?
Luis Perez: Yes.
Colon: Did you meet El Chapo?
Perez: Yes. I lived in Sinaloa for a few months. 2011-12.
Colon: How did you get involved with Sinaloa?
Perez: I was approached in San Pedro Sula

JOH's lawyer Colon: Where did you surrender to US authorities?
Luis Perez: Belize.
Judge Castel: We're done.
Juez Castel: Hemos terminado.
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