DAY TWELVE: Trial Against David Castillo
/Last update: May 10 at 11:37 pm
Main Points of the Day
The trial was scheduled to begin today at 8:30 am but instead, commenced at 3 pm. It lasted for about an hour and was shut down for the day after technological issues cut approximately 20 minutes of the live broadcast. Proceedings are convened to begin again at 9:30 am tomorrow.
During the short session today, data extraction expert David Alexander Amador continued to read Whatsapp chat messages at the request of the Cáceres family attorneys. The chat messages again highlight how DESA’s executives used their state contacts, specifically with the Minister of Security Julián Pacheco, to send state security forces into intimate and repress actions in Rio Blanco; how local hitman were used to carry out violence but also provide security for DESA, and how DESA’s executives and Castillo spoke about strategies to delegitimize and undermine COPINH and Berta Cáceres.
More Details
WhatsApp Group Chat Messages Between DESA’s Executive and David Castillo
Data extraction expert David Alexander Amador continues to read chat messages found on Sergio Rodriguez’s phone. Many of the group chats are between DESA’s executives including Jose Eduardo Atala, Pedro Atala, Daniel Atala, and the accused David Castillo.
A number of chats were read when the online transmission of the trial was impossible to hear. COPINH published the following conversations that were read in court today:
COPINH writes: “David Castillo and Pedro Atala coordinated with the Minister of Security, Julián Pacheco Tinoco in order to repress Berta and COPINH’s vindicatory actions to defend the Gualcarque river. State security forces were used by David Castillo and the Atala Zablah family to favor their company. The same forces continue to be utilized to benefit extractive companies that perpetuate violence against women and men defenders.” COPINH publishes two photographs of state security forces in Rio Blanco.
Below, are translations of the parts highlighted in yellow
PAGE ONE: August 8, 2015 at 2:58 am from David Castillo: “Today, convene Mayor Avila and Sergio to deal with public security issues with the National Police”
From David Castillo: “The next day, Monday and prepare strategy with a local consultant that will be our spokesperson with the Minister of Security.”
From David Castillo: “….. That they give us security and an immediate response in civil work in PHAZ [the Agua Zarca hydroelectric project].”
August 12, 2015 at 12:36 pm from David Castillo: “I received the news from our security consultant that General Pacheco [the current Minister of Security] confirmed that they are not going to withdrawal the PN [National Police] from El Barreal [community in Rio Blanco].”
From David Castillo: “But the Sub-commissioner [of the police] that is assigned to the area told him that we don’t help them with food or gas”
From David Castllo: “…. every month Daniel pays the food bill”
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COPINH writes: “Who is Olvin Mejía? He’s from Rio Blanco and is a known assassin in the northern region of [the department of] Intibuca. He was contracted to kill Berta Cáceres and COPINH members. He was arrested in December 2015 and DESA utilized it’s structure and influences to free him.
David Castillo , Daniel Atala Midence, Sergio Rodríguez and Jorge Avila - DESA executives and employees - ensured that Olvin Mejía be freed. David Castillo described Mejía as “the best security at the dam site.”
Castillo, Atala Midence, Rodríguez and Avila worked together “to work” witnesses. They influenced the Attorney General’s office in La Esperanza and paid, at least, Olvin Mejía’s bail and legal representation with the end goal of securing the company’s interests.”
PAGE TWO: December 28, 2015 at 4:12 pm from Sergio Rodriguez to David Castillo: “ … The Major needs 20,000 lempiras to deal with Olvin’s case …. or ask Daniel to send me a transfer”
From David Castillo: “Call Daniel and ask him to make the deposit”
From David Castillo: “Speak with the lawyer so that they don’t accuse the guy”
From David Castillo: “He is our best security at the dam site”
PAGE THREE: December 28, 2015 at 9:49 pm from David Castillo: “The lawyer that defends the military [soldier] charges 100,000 for the entire trial.
December 31 at 1:07 am from Sergio Rodriguez: “David, we still need 20 for the [female] friend, if it goes well, we won’t speak again. If it goes like I spoke with her this afternoon, tomorrow for sure, the whole family will celebrate New Years.”
From Sergio Rodriguez: “Everything worked out.”
PAGE FOUR: December 31, 2015 at 10:08 pm from 94528319 [unidentified number]: “The incident occurred in Valle de Angeles, the woman making the accusation and the eye witness are from Valle de Angeles and we need to work them in a subtle manner.
From 9452-8319: “This has to be done by third parties to avoid them declaring that there is coercion, threat, extortion, bribes [which] nulls the witness, nulls the evidence or the witness declaration”
From 9452-8319: “And take care of the bosses, take care of ourselves and of course, protect our company.”
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COPINH writes: “Plans to discredit and delegitimize COPINH’s struggle led by Berta Cáceres were also exposed in the group communications [in the Whatsapp chat] “Security PHAZ [Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam project] involving David Castillo, Pedro Atala, Jose Eduardo Atala and Daniel Atala.
The exaggeration of the damages [the company] was one of the strategies used to stigmatize COPINH in its struggle in defense of the sacred Gualcarque river: “I suggest. If they break something and it has to be fixed, it’s better to finish breaking it and take photos” - reads one chat.
David Castillo and Daniel Atala paid a journalist from HCH [Habla como Habla, a national television network] to do reports that favored the company and delegitimize and stigmatize COPINH’s struggle, as a communication strategy to favor their economic project.”
PAGE FIVE: On February 20, 2016 at 7:47 pm from David Castillo: “Mr. Jesus, I think that one must take advantage of the situation to send a negative message about COPINH, the movement isn’t legitimate, they move people they pay in buses to other departments and municipalities in order to oppose SFO [unclear what this acronym means but likely stands for the community of San Francisco de Ojüera, the municipality in Santa Barbara where the dam project was moved after Sinohydro pulled out] where all the people and communities support PHAZ [Agua Zarca hydroelectric project].
From David Castillo: “Its an opportune moment to expose Berta and COPINH, currently Berta has said that the our communication activities are the biggest headaches for them”
From 3392-4868 [unidentified number]: “It’s good that we are a pain in the butt for the woman … haha”
From 9457-0137: “In my opinion, we should publish photos of the car that she drives in, photos of her house and information about all the luxuries that she has, including that she has her kids studying in Argentina. In summary, that she is getting rich at the cost of others.”
PAGE SIX: On February 21, 2016 at 1:14 am from 9457-0137 [unidentified number]: “They are about to leave”
From Sergio Rodriguez to six other people and David Castillo: “Bertha and Tomas directed the action.”
From David Castillo: “Did you take photos of them?”
PAGE SEVEN: On February 21, 2016 at 1:25 am from Sergio Rodriguez to six other people [unidentified] and David Castillo: “Review the videos where they say they are peaceful and then contradict them with evidence of the damage.”
From David Castillo: “We have to take advantage of the evidence”
From David Castillo: “And send it separately in various notes.”
From 9457-0137: “After the meeting with the elected community leaderships, we have requested they sign a declaration together in support of PHAZ [Agua Zarca hydroelectric project] tomorrow”
From 9457-0137: “It’s very important, I think it’s vital that tomorrow Mr. Jesús and Roque elaborate the convincing communiques with all the documentation and they send it and Monday, they bombard all the media that support them.
From 9457-0137: “The damages are insignificant but the information that we possess is convincing in order to crush them.”
PAGE EIGHT: On February 21, 2016 at 1:52 am from David Castillo: “We have to make this information explode with a lot of strategy”
From 3392-4868 [unidentified number]: “I suggest. If they break something and it has to be fixed, it’s better to finish breaking it and take photos”
From 3278-7416 [unidentified number]: “I understand that they broke a fence, send us evidence of that and you should do repairs and make the damage look more aggressive in order to be able to justify it.”
PAGE NINE: On February 22, 2016 at 2:08 am from 3278-7416 [unidentified number]: “Everyone, I inform you that Angel David from HCH [Habla como habla, a national television channel] is taking shots at the dam site with Claudia, I guess someone from the police sent them images, a thing that catches my attention because the images that went out were from someone from Agua Zarca, in light of Angel David being an ally and he was already on site, we allowed for him to enter”
From 3278-7416 [unidentified number]: “I asked Claudia that she guarantee that the information won’t be published until we give her the green light and she shares the digitalized visual information she has with us.”
From 9457-0137: “Roque, the same police from Santa Barbara [a city and also a department] that were there gave him/her the information”
From 3278-7416: “… Angel David is a good ally, he’s eating dinner, we just have to ask Claudio to make sure that what is emphasized in the report, is positive for PHAZ [Agua Zarca hydroelectric project]
From Sergio Rodriguez: “Tell her she has to minimize the damages to the maximum”
From 3278-7416: “Remember, Angel David is our ally”
PAGE TEN: On February 22, 2016 at 2:21 am from 3278-7416: “Remember, Angel David is our ally”
From 3278-7416: “And he has defended us with everything he has”
From 3392-4868: “If Berta speaks out, it will get others like Globo [radio station] and HRN etc working on it”
From 9457-0137: “We don’t need to thank the problem, people.”