DAY FOURTEEN: Trial Against David Castillo
/Last update: May 14 at 8:25 pm
Main Points of the Day
After ratifying documents presented as evidence, Castillo’s defense asked the court secretary to read approximately 2.5 to 3 hours of chat messages between David Castillo and Berta Cáceres. The chats were extracted from Berta’s phone found at the scene of the crime. The first messages were dated June 27, 2013 and the last in late February 2015, just days before Berta was killed. The chats discussed the following topics: Most were pleasantries (good morning, Merry Christmas, have a safe trip, how are you, I appreciate your friendship, etc.); about health issues including those of Castillo’s and Berta’s mother; discussions about automobile agencies and car rentals, discussing places and times to meet, and David commenting about information he received about Berta’s whereabouts or activities in Rio Blanco and Tegucigalpa. The defense hopes to use these messages to argue that Castillo and Berta were friends. While the Cáceres family attorneys - who also asked that the messages be read - argue that they demonstrate how Castillo kept tabs on Berta, monitored her activities, and hoped to gain her trust. Below are some of these chats published by COPINH
The trial started today at 10 am, was suspended various times, and ended at 7:15 pm. It is convened to begin again tomorrow afternoon.
COPINH writes: “These chats show how there was a rupture in communication between Castillo and Berta Cáceres, that coincides with the actions to plan and executive her murder. “I’m disappointed, I thought that you would be different from the Atala and Facusse” wrote Berta Cáceres. Castillo’s communications to Berta do not prove Castillo’s innocence, on the contrary, they show his interest in seeking information and carrying out his own intelligence surveillance.”
All conversations in the three pages above are translated below.
PAGE ONE: On January 26, 2016 at 23:30 from Berta to Castillo: “No, no. You will be satisfied. It’s not worth it anymore … I think”
Castillo to Berta: “Hi Berta I didn’t understand everything from your message. I just understood that you’re no longer available.”
Berta to Castillo: “Now no, I’m disappointed. It’s not worth it now”
Berta to Castillo: “I thought you would be different from the Atala and Facusse.”
On February 8, 2016 at 15:17 from Castillo to Berta: “What do you mean by different?”
Berta to Castillo: “Good morning. How are you?”
Berta to Castillo: “You know them and you know”
Berta to Castillo: “You know … It’s weird what you wrote.”
Castillo to Berta: “Yes, I know them well, we are friends, but I don’t know what you think would be different. I know I’m very different but I don’t know what you think.”
Castillo to Berta: “They told me that you were visiting La Tejera and it made me want to say hi”
PAGE TWO: [A continuation of the conversation above] On February 8, 2016 at 15:48 from Berta to Castillo: “Really? You wanted to say hi or fight?”
Castillo to Berta: “To say hi”
Castillo to Berta: “I have nothing to fight with you about”
Berta to Castillo: “do you need to”
Berta to Castillo: “?”
Berta to Castillo: “Well … You told me it’s not to fight”
Castillo to Berta: “I need to fighting? No … Why would you think that? Who likes to fight?”
Castillo to Berta: “You know that I don’t like to fight”
Castillo to Berta: “and that I’m a person that dialogues and talks”
Berta to Castillo: “I think that there are people from your world that can have integrity, I thought that you could be one of the exceptions!”
Berta to Castillo: “I think that you can be capable in some place of having kindness, integrity, ethics and humanity, including giving love and good things, but you are also capable of being like one of those bastards, who enjoy a type of power and impunity”
PAGE THREE: [Continuation of the chat above] same date, from Castillo: “For sure, there are business men and investors with a lot of integrity”
Castillo writes: “and yes, and you describe my qualities very well, I think you know them and I don’t have to repeat them or say them.”
Berta writes: “don’t confuse things, I’m saying that from a correct, honest concept, with integrity”
Castillo writes: “You as well, have my appreciation and have many good qualities”
Berta writes: “You’re capable of throwing these good things into the garbage too!”
Castillo writes: “Throw away appreciation?”
Castillo writes: “The good qualities”
Berta writes: “I’m disappointed! For so many reasons. And it’s not like you have to be a certain way with me or to show appreciation if you want! But I thought that you were a good human, even being from that shitty world … you could be different.”
Castillo writes: “I don’t think we should give opinions about the work we do, we both do it with the faithful belief that it is for the good of the many people around the areas we work in”
Castillo writes: “I also, have been disappointed in myself! So we share that”
Castillo writes: “as things are”
Berta writes: “And know what? … Even though its like that, sometimes I even want to say hi!”
Castillo writes: “From the different places we work, with conflicting viewpoints but we maintain a friendship with encouragement and respect.”
More Details
Chats Between David Castillo and Berta Cáceres
The court secretary read messages dated between June 27, 2013 to end of February 2015. Many are very short pleasantries. Most are largely insignificant but demonstrate that they stayed in contact over several years. COPINH published the chats where Berta was more direct with Castillo but several times, she messages Castillo and asks about his health. The rest of the topics in the messages are noted above in ‘Main Points of the Day.’