Ardon: In Copan, a place called Espiritu.
AUSA: Was Tony Hernandez there?
Ardon: Yes. And others including Mario Calix.
AUSA: After that meeting, did you speak to the defendant again about the $1 million offer?
Ardon: Yes. He said he had spoken with Juan Orlando Hernandez and that he did need the $1 million
Ardon: Tony Hernandez got there first, before El Chapo. I sent Melvin Pinto to La Entrada to pick up Tony Hernandez.
AUSA: Who did Tony Hernandez bring with him?
Ardon: Mario Calix and Primo.
Ardon: He had an M16 strapped by a belt.
AUSA: What happened when Chapo arrived?
Ardon: We sat around a table to talk.
AUSA: Where was the table?
Ardon: En el comedor, en la sala. [Ardon's dining room]
Ardon: Primo was right outside the house.
AUSA: And Melvin Pinto?
Ardon: Outside by the pool.
AUSA: Did Tony Hernandez say anything about protection of cocaine from Nicaragua to Guatemala, as it passed through Honduras?
AUSA: Yesterday you described a payment. Where was the money?
Ardon: The money was in the car.
Ardon: Chapo said to bring it in. We counted it on the table. There was a million dollars.
AUSA: What happened with it?
Ardon: We put it in a bag and Chapo handed it to Tony Hernandez.
Ardon: Yes, for security up to La Entrada.
AUSA: Who traveled to La Entrada with Chapo's million dollars?
Ardon: Tony Hernandez, Mario Calix, Primo, Melvin Pinto, me, and an escort.
Ardon: Six security people.
AUSA: Were you armed?
Ardon: With an AR-15.
AUSA: Did Primo still have the rifle strapped to his chest?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: There were two cars waiting for him. He took the money and he left.
AUSA: Who won the election?
Ardon: Juan Orlando Hernandez.
Ardon: That Juan Orlando Hernandez was going to remove him, there was talk about why me and Tony Hernandez were not being arrested since we were drug traffickers.
Ardon: Yes.
AUSA: Did Tony H say why they were arrested?
Ardon: He said the Valles were arrested because they had attempted to kill Juan Orlando Hernandez.
AUSA: What did he say?
Ardon: That as long as the National Party was in power they were going to keep me protected.
AUSA: Did you say anything about Chapo Guzman?
Ardon: I told President Juan Orlando Hernandez that Chapo was pressuring me, because of the arrest of the Valle brothers.
Ardon: I told Juan Orlando Hernandez that he had been paid the $1 million to protect the Valles... Juan Orlando Hernandez said that he had no obligation to anyone.
Ardon: That I should finance and bribe mayors to make sure Juan Orlando Hernandez won in the departamento de Copan.
Ardon: Hugo my brother, Tony, Juan Orlando Hernandez, and me.
AUSA: What was said?
Ardon: Juan Orlando Hernandez asked me to finance the National Party's campaign, through the mayors, in some departments
Ardon: That he would still keep providing us protection for drug trafficking, that things were easier now that my brother Hugo was no longer a public official
AUSA: Where did the money come from?
Ardon: From drug trafficking.
AUSA: Did you also pay bribes in the 2017 election? How much?
Ardon: About $1,600,000 - from selling cocaine.
AUSA: Where were you, went you spoke to Primo on the phone?
Ardon: I was in El Paraiso, Copan. Primo told me Juan Orlando Hernandez was asking where I was.
Ardon: Thirty to life.
AUSA: Were you charged with any murders?
Ardon: No.
AUSA: After you surrendered, did you provide info to the government?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: I withheld information about Chapo Guzman and Juan Orlando Hernandez.
AUSA: Why did you withhold that information?
Ardon: Because of fear of retaliation against my family.
Ardon: In Copan.
AUSA: Now what is the mandatory minimum sentence that you face?
Ardon: Life plus thirty years.
AUSA: How many murders were included in your cooperation agreement?
Ardon: Fifty six murders.
Ardon: The prosecutor would submit a 5K letter.
AUSA: If you get that letter, what would happen to your mandatory minimum sentence?
Ardon: The minimum sentence would be removed.
Ardon: No.
AUSA: If you get it, what will the letter day?
Ardon: My bad and my good.
AUSA: Your good?
Ardon: Cooperation. Testifying. Telling the truth.
Ardon: I don't know.
AUSA: Who decides?
Ardon: The judge.
Judge Castel calls break. Cross examination next. Thread will continue. patreon.com/posts/30577179
Malone: Do you have a family, sir? How many kids?
[He did this with El Rojo Diaz Moralez, too. Apparently it is not considered a threat.]
Malone: When is the last time you saw your family?
Ardon: Around thee weeks ago.
Malone: They came to visit you?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: An agricultural business.
Malone: While you were dealing in drugs, you were putting yourself out as a farmer, right?
Ardon: I don't understand the question.
Ardon: No, I didn't say.
Malone: You wanted people to believe you were a legitimate business man, right? Like when you were elected mayor.
Ardon: Right.
Malone: They knew you were a drug trafficker?
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: But not your constituents? Or your mother Paula, before she passed away.
Ardon: She knew I was a drug trafficker.
Malone: But you and your family tried to hide it from the public, isn't that right? From law enforcement?
Ardon: Right.
Ardon: Right.
Malone: And you got paid for each kilo of cocaine, right?
Ardon: Si.
Malone: How much were you getting paid per kilo?
Ardon: It varied.
Ardon: I don't understand the word Millions and millions and millions.
Malone: With the government, did you calculate how much money you made?
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: What kind of things did you buy with your drug money, sir?
Ardon: Farms, houses, cars, equipment...
Malone: Let's start with the fincas. How many?
Ardon: Around 15 ranches.
Ardon: Around ten.
Malone: What other stuff did you buy?
Ardon: [Long list - interpreters asks to confer with her colleague, then says] ...equipment to work with cement, and the interpreters are researching...
Malone: So farm equipment, as if you were a legitimate businessman, right?
Ardon: We had agricultural contracts.
AUSA: Objection.
Malone: I'll rephrase - YOU wanted them to believe you were legitimate, right?
Ardon: Right.
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: In your cell phone you used for drug trafficking, there were contacts, were there not?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: Like El Chapo?
Ardon: I said I *met* with El Chapo.
Malone: But you had to call someone, in order to meet El Chapo, right?
Ardon: Right.
Ardon: Right.
Malone: You said you met Chapo in your home in 2013, right? When he was the biggest drug trafficker in the world, with a worldwide manhunt?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: Don Amado.
Malone: By the way, did you give the government any of your electronics when you turned yourself in?
Ardon: No.
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: In preparation for your cooperation, were you ever shown records of your cell phone?
Ardon: I don't understand.
Ardon: No.
Malone: Let me be sure I understand your testimony. For example, the pictures that you testified about yesterday, you remember those?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: And pictures of Juan Orlando Hernandez, and Tony Hernandez, they should you those in advance, right?
Ardon: No.
Malone: Your city hall, did it have a heliport on top of it? You put it there?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: You could see who came from any way, right?
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: You had cameras at your home, the one you say you met El Chapo in?
Ardon: No.
Ardon: No.
Malone: Would an honest man torture people, like you've admitted?
Ardon: No.
Malone: Would an honest man meet with the US government and lie to them?
Ardon: I don't understand the question
Ardon (after a pause) No.
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: You were looking at life in prison, a minimum mandatory consecutive sentence of forty years, right?
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: Not seeing your family?
[Echo of #6ix9ine testimony two weeks ago: patreon.com/posts/30123454
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: And you would do pretty much anything to get it back, right?
Ardon: All I have to do is tell the truth, to be free.
AUSA: Objection.
Ardon: No.
Malone: But you inquired of Mr Hernandez multiple times about whether you would be extradited, right?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: No.
Malone: But you were worried when it happened to the Valles, right?
Ardon: Right.
Ardon: Right.
[Note: Ardon on direct testified that Valles were arrested because they plotted to try to kill Juan Orlando Hernandez]
Ardon: The president would call "Carlos Pinera" [or Pineda?] to set up the meetings.
[Note: I'm sure I'm missing something obvious here - who's this Carlos?]
That's not how cross-examination works.
Malone: Can I show the witness something?
Judge Castel: Is it a fair and accurate depiction of the scene that appears in the photo?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: Yes. I am there [touches screen the photo is on.]
Malone: On the screen, to your right, the gentleman in the white shirt, glasses on, who is that?
Ardon: The Ambassador of the United States.
Ardon: When the [Lempira] project was finished.
Malone: Is your brother in the picture?
Ardon: No.... I don't remember where the man next to the Ambassador is mayor from
Ardon: I don't know.
Malone: Was this the first time you met the US Ambassador?
Ardon: Yes. That is why we were happy. All of us wanted to take a picture with him.
Malone: What year was it?
Ardon: I don't recall.
Ardon: No.
Malone: Did any of his security detail pull you aside before you were a drug dealer?
Ardon: No.
Malone: You had security, right?
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: if I could have a moment, Judge.
Judge Castel: We are taking our lunch break, do not discuss the case.
[To the gallery:] Silence!
Now to crowd: I insist on silence for respect, and it is my responsibility to ensure the integrity of this trial.
"Have a pleasant lunch."
AUSA: Objection.
Judge Castel: Sustained.
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: Where are they?
Ardon: They were entrusted to Melvin Pinto. They were burned.
Ardon: I do not understand.
Malone: You know the picture I am talking about?
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: When did you first see it?
Ardon: I saw it around 2011
Ardon: Yes.
Malone: Is this the list of people whom you murdered?
Ardon: I conspired in the murder of those people.
Ardon: I don't remember.
Now re-direct: AUSA: You told the defendant and Juan Orlando Hernandez about your drug trafficking, right?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: No.
AUSA: As far as you know, were you ever even investigated for those 56 murders?
Ardon: No, I was not investigated.
Ardon: Yes.
AUSA: And that victim was Franklin Arita, correct? Number 25 in your plea agreement, right?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: Yes.
AUSA: Please turn to page 3 of the agreement. It says you face life then 30 years, do you see that?
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: Si.
AUSA: You were asked about the worldwide manhunt for Chapo Guzman.
Ardon: Yes.
Ardon: Half of the men were from Honduras and half from Guatemala.
Ardon: We handled the security with our own men. We ensured that only the Honduran National Police were in our area, no one else.
AUSA: Was the security for Chapo armed?
Ardon: Yes. AR-15s and M16s
Ardon: Yes
Note: we've asked @JuanOrlandoH: