What Happened Today
- Geovany Rodríguez, the former police officer and confessed drug trafficker finishes testifying.
- John Miller, a firearms expert from the U.S. Bureau on Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) testifies.
- Prosecution rests their case.
- Juan Orlando Hernández’s (JOH) defense calls their first witness: Military General Tulio Armando Romero Palacios.
Key Details That Surfaced
- Testimony of Military Brigade General Tulio Armando Romero Palacios:
- Romero is an advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Honduran Armed Forces. He has held that position for two years. He first met JOH in 1983 in the military college Militar del Norte. Romero testified that he has known Tony Hernández since he was a child.
- Romero began providing security for JOH in September 2010 when JOH was the President of the National Congress. When President of Congress, JOH was assigned one officer and 14 men to protect him all day. When he became President, JOH had 5-7 officers assigned to him and 500 men. When JOH traveled, 2 teams of 14 men traveled with him. Romero testified that he or others were always with JOH to provide security and that he received JOH’s agenda or schedule one week in advance.
- Romero testified that he had been to Graneros Nacionales in two occasions [NOTE. This links to witness José Sánchez’s testimony about JOH going there as well]. JOH met with Fuad Jarufe. In the first meeting, Romero went into the meeting room when they arrived, looked around to ensure JOH would be safe, and then left. The meetings lasted approx. 20-25 minutes. In the second meeting, they arrived to Graneros Nacionales in a helicopter. Romero described Jarufe’s office as having a desk and a small living room [NOTE: Confirming testimony similar to witness Sanchez].
- Romero confirmed that he knew Alex Ardón [a confessed drug trafficking and cooperating witness in this case] and his brother, Hugo Ardón. Romero described a meeting at JOH’s house where Alex Ardon and approx. 40-50 people were present. He did not see JOH meet with Javier Rivera, Devis Rivera (both part of the Cachiros) or the Valle Valles. He did however, in other occasions see JOH meet with Fabio Lobo but only one time when JOH, Romero and others traveled to Olancho for a campaign event. Fabio was part of a welcoming committee that met JOH when they arrived. He testified that he did not see Fabio and JOH did not have a meeting inside JOH’s vehicle.
- Romero remembers going to a meeting with JOH in Santa Rosa de Copan. Alex Ardón was not allowed in the meeting because he showed up late after meeting with mayors from Copan.
- Romero testified that he communicated with Tony and would advise him. JOH and Tony did not have a close relationship.
- On cross-examination by the prosecution, Romero testified: He was promoted several times under JOH. From 2010 to 2012, he was sub-chief of special security of the National Congress. Then from 2012 to 2013, he was promoted to the head of special security of Congress. Then in 2013, Romero was reassigned by the military to the Presidential Guard (Guardia de Honor). Then in 2014-2015, he was chief of intelligence for the Presidential Guard. Then in 2019, he was promoted to sub-chief of the entire Presidential Guard. In the military, Romero also was promoted. From 2015 to 2019, he was promoted 2-3 levels above his rank in 2015. [NOTE: The prosecution attempted to show that Romero benefitted from JOH’s increasing power in Honduras). Romero remains in the same position under President Xiomara Castro as he held when JOH left office.
- In 2015, there was a party to celebrate Romero’s promotion within the military. The prosecution displayed the picture in court (see below). The pictures shows JOH, JOH’s spouse Ana Garcia, Romero, and Romero’s spouse. Romero testified that his spouse worked in the Central American Port Authority in Puerto Cortés. Romero denied that his spouse had control over what was coming into the port [NOTE. By this line of questioning, the prosecution was attempted to demonstrate ties between Romero and JOH to Puerto Cortés and thus tying his testimony to drug traffickers using Puerto Cortés to traffic cocaine).
- Romero testified that he knew Edwin Archaga Carías. The prosecution displayed a picture of JOH with Edwin Archaga Carias who was identified by Romero as being part of the Presidential Guard. When asked about the scandal surrounding Edwin being part of the Guard, Romero testified that Edwin had the same two last name as El Porky [mentioned in previous testimonies for Porky’s role in drug trafficking as the head of the MS-13] but that Edwin was not related to him. El Porky had changed his last names giving the impression that he and Edwin were family but they were not.
- Romero testified that he did not have a friendly relationship with Tony Hernández. He remembers reading the news that Tony was believed to be involved in drug trafficking but did not remember what year. He said that JOH and Tony Hernández only met twice. While JOH was President, Romero remembers reading that Tony was friends with some drug traffickers. Romero said that he told Tony to stay away from the drug traffickers. He admitted to talking to Tony but only a few times. [The prosecution then put up text messages that had been extracted from Tony’s phone when he was arrested.] In one conversation dated January 29, 2018, a picture of a gun was shared between Tony and Romero. In another conversation, Tony asked Romero if he (Tony) would have any problems traveling to the U.S. Romero responded that he would ask Aldana Zelaya, the head of the National Directorate of Investigation and Intelligence of the State (DNII). Romero later told Tony that there was no problem if he traveled to the U.S. and he never saw him again (because Tony was arrested in the U.S.).
What Will Happen Tomorrow
- Two witnesses proposed by the defense, Carlos Romero and Leonel Humberto Nunez Espinoza were rejected by the judge. Romero was going to testify about the Honduran elections, and Espinoza about the laws that JOH approved while in office. This will not take place.
- The defense will call two more witnesses, both are military generals. One is General Javier René Barrientos. The other general’s name was not announced.
Closing remarks are expected to take place on Wednesday. The prosecution and defense will both have 1 hour, 45 minutes, followed by another 30 minutes for the prosecution. It is still not clear whether JOH will testify but his defense attorneys said they will notify the court tomorrow if JOH decides to take the stand.
