DAY SIX: Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez (JOH)’s brother, Tony Hernandez on Trial in New York

Today, an HSN representative attended the trial in New York.

What Happened Today:

** Two witnesses testified: DEA Agent Sandalio Gonzalez continued from yesterday & collaborating witness, former extradited police officer, Geovani Rodriguez

Key Details that Surfaced:

** It is believed that the juror that reported a security incident on Tuesday, may have resigned and did not attend the trial today. The public was not informed.

** Only parts of Tony’s interrogation video has been admitted as evidence and made public. Now, the defense attempts to admit the full or more parts of the Tony’s 73-min interrogation.

Trial sketch drawn today

** Honduran Congressman Juan Carlos Valenzuela’s role in working with Tony was mentioned again.

** The DEA was unable to secure key evidence (phone taps, bank information, etc) for trial because of their lack of jurisdiction to request such information in Honduras but also lack of cooperation by Honduran authorities.

** 8 weapons licenses seized from Tony upon arrest include some in the name of Amado Antonio Fernandez Orellana, who may have been named by “El Rojo” and Ardon in their testimonies as “Don Amado” and a man that worked with El Chapo Guzman. Its unclear if its the same Amado or not.

** Police officer Geovani testified that he gave protection, security and key information to “El Rojo” and Mauricio Hernandez drug shipments and worked with Tony Hernandez.  

What Will Happen Tomorrow:

** Collaborating witness Geovani Rodriguez will continue testifying and its expected that potentially Devis Maradiaga Rivera, one of Los Cachiros will testify.

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More Details:

Setting the scene:

The courtroom is on the 11th floor inside the Southern District court. When you walk inside the large building, everyone has to pass through security. Laptops, Bluetooth headphones, cellphones and other electronic devices must be checked and left downstairs.

Inside the courtroom are four rows of benches on the left and right side with a small aisle in between. Chairs are also set up at the back wall for those that cannot fit on the benches.

Tony Hernandez and JOH’s family attended today – their mother, his two brothers, one niece and her partner, and another nephew. They are followed by at least one Honduran bodyguard dressed in civilian clothes.

THE JURY

** Every time the jury enters or leaves the courtroom, everyone must stand.

** At the beginning of today’s session, one juror entered with a piece of paper, spoke to the judge and then left and did not attend for the rest of the day. Its believed that he may be the juror that reported that individuals took photos of him in an intimidating manner and may have left his role for good. The public was not informed and all was discussed at a side bar between the lawyers and the judge.

Continuation of Testimony of DEA Special Agent Gonzalez:

** The prosecution showed a picture of Tony Hernandez and Congressman Juan Carlos Valenzuela and four other National party activists. This was to demonstrate to the jury that Tony Hernandez knows Juan Carlos Valenzuela.

** Testified that eight weapon licenses issued by the Honduran government were found on Tony Hernandez when he was arrested. Five of them were in Juan Antonio Hernandez Alvarado’s name, two registered to Amado Antonio Fernandez Orellana and one to current National Party Congressman from Comayagua, Gerardo Tulio Martinez Pineda. Some of the licenses had expired years ago.

Two of Tony Hernandez’s gun licenses that were in his possession when arrested. Photos obtained from the courts by Pro-Honduras Network (ProHN).

TONY’S LAWYERS TRY TO PICK APART AGENT GONZALEZ’S TESTIMONY

** Tony Hernandez’s defense team presents a bag of evidence containing some of Tony’s belongings that were found on him when arrested. They spent a significant amount of time showing the receipts to the courtroom with the possible intention of “humanizing” Tony and giving the impression that Tony is not necessarily a wealthy individual. Some examples include showing and discussing:

o   Tony’s flight boarding passes that demonstrate that he flew in the basic economy class (most inexpensive seats).

o   A receipt from Target in Houston showed that Tony had purchased M&Ms and children’s Christmas clothing. The point of that was missed until the Prosecutor on redirect (when the Prosecution was able to question the witness after the defense) and asked Agent Gonzalez if drug traffickers eat M&Ms.

** By showing the receipts and credit cards found in Tony’s possession when arrested, the defense also tried to raise doubts as to the investigative capabilities and thoroughness of the DEA and US prosecutors. For example:

o   The defense asked Agent Gonzalez if he had cross-checked the dates on the receipts with supposed dates of meetings with drug traffickers as per the testimonies of “El Rojo’ and Ardon.

o   The defense asked Agent Gonzalez if he had requested bank records and phone records for the credit cards and phones found on Tony during his arrest. Gonzalez responded that they had not. Later on redirect (when questioned again by the Prosecution), Gonzalez explained that they requested some of the information from Honduran authorities but were not given the information or he was not aware if the US government had received the response. He also said that the DEA does not have the authority to request such information.

o   In reference to the above point, the prosecutor also asked the agent the meaning of a “unilateral operation.” He answered that it's a DEA operation conducted when the host government is not notified in order to avoid compromising the investigation or the DEA believes that the government won’t cooperate.

** Testified that Tony Hernandez had $8,000 USD (all in $100s) in cash on him when arrested.

** Inside one of Tony’s suitcases was a small bag with the initials “JAH” engraved on it. The defense implied that this as evidence that Tony uses his initials JAH and not TH. Later the prosecutors would show a bank account internet login username (Tony78) to argue that indeed he called himself ‘Tony’.

PHOTOS AND INFORMATION ON TONY HERNANDEZ’S PHONES SEIZED BY US AUTHORITIES WHEN ARRESTED

** Tony had two phones on him when he was arrested. US authorities found.

** Agent Gonzalez confirmed that only messages or mentions of Mario Calix Hernandez were found on Tony Hernandez’s cell phones that were seized when he was arrested. There was no information about “El Rojo”, Ardon or other drug traffickers.

** There were pictures of weapons found on Tony’s phone when he was arrested. The defense asked Agent Gonzalez is the DEA or other investigative bodies had collected metadata from the pictures to determine when the pictures were taken and by whom. Gonzalez said that he was unaware if that had been done. The same question was asked about the picture of the kilogram of cocaine with TH stamped on it. No metadata was recovered either.

LINKING TONY TO ACTUAL PACKAGES OF COCAINE & HELICOPTERS USED TO TRANSPORT DRUGS

** The defense asked Agent Gonzalez if the DEA had ever done drug busts and found ‘TH’ cocaine. Gonzalez answered that he doesn’t know.

** The defense asked if Tony’s fingerprints were found on any ‘TH’ cocaine. Gonzalez answered no.

** Defense asked if there was any hard evidence (paperwork) showing that Tony owned a helicopter or flew a helicopter. The agent said no. Later the prosecutor would show a picture of Tony inside the cockpit of a helicopter with a pilot headset on and another of a helicopter with a woman (not identified) sitting in the pilot’s seat.  

Pictures shown by the prosecution as a way to demonstrate to the jury that Tony was linked to a helicopter in some way. Photo evidence obtained by pro-Honduras network

THE FEBRUARY 4, 2014 DENNY’S MEETING BETWEEN ‘CONFIDENTIAL SOURCE’ AND TONY HERNANDEZ

** The defense asked Agent Gonzalez if the DEA monitored, watched, or followed the source to the Denny’s meeting (discussed in more detail on Day Seven)? He responded no.

** Defense asked agent when the DEA received the video from the source. The agent responded that it was given to them one month later. The defense pushed this, asking why it was so long after words.

Testimony of Collaborating Witness, Ex-Police Officer Geovani Rodriguez:

** Geovani Rodriguez is a former Honduran police officer who helped protect “El Rojo’s” drug shipments (as per El Rojo’s testimony on Day 3 of the trial).

** He became a police officer in approximately 1991.

** He’s been in prison for 3 years. He surrendered in 2016. He plead guilty in August 2017 to conspiring to traffic drugs and then to more crimes later on. He now faces a minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison.  

** In Honduras, he admitting to working with the following drug traffickers: Tony Hernandez, “El Rojo”, Victor Morales, Ruben Mejia, Hector Emilio Fernandez and Vladimir Fernandez.

** To support drug traffickers, Rodriguez gave them information, helped them pass or avoid check-points, and provided security and protection for shipments.

** Rodriguez was arrested in Honduras in 2009 for stealing drugs and was formally accused of abuse of authority and violation of his duties as a public servant. He lied under oath in Honduras and spent 18-20 months in jail. He had two lawyers, Juan Manuel Avila Meza and Oscar Ramirez, who paid off the judge and then released him. All charges were then dropped.

o   Immediately after he was released, he returned to drug trafficking.

** In return for his collaboration with drug traffickers, Rodriguez was promised payments, protection, and promotions inside the police.

RELATIONSHIP WITH JUAN MANUEL AVILA MEZA, OSCAR RAMIREZ & MAURICIO HERNANDEZ

** Rodriguez worked to traffic drugs with Oscar Ramirez starting in approximately 2007/2008. Oscar Ramirez would accompany Rodriguez to provide protection and security for drug shipments.  

** Mauricio Hernandez spoke to Rodriguez about trafficking drugs in approximately 2010/2011. He asked Rodriguez to give him information about police anti-drug operations.

** At the time he started working with Mauricio Hernandez (~2011/2012), Rodriguez was the sub-director of the National Police. In this position, he had access to information about special operations related to drug trafficking and all national police operations

** Mauricio Hernandez told Rodriguez that he was working for Ardon (“Chande”) and Tony Hernandez. He told Rodriguez that Ardon gives money to Tony Hernandez to finance Juan Orlando Hernandez’s campaigns.

** Before Rodriguez surrendered in 2016 and after he had been accused, he met with Mauricio Hernandez in the parking lot of La Tribuna newspaper in Tegucigalpa.

o   Mauricio Hernandez told him that he was sorry to hear about the accusations against him, that he couldn’t do anything, but told him to be careful about talking about Tony Hernandez and Juan Orlando Hernandez’s involvement in drug trafficking.

RELATIONSHIP WITH TONY HERNANDEZ, “EL ROJO”, ARDON AND OTHER DRUG TRAFFICKERS

** Rodriguez never met Tony Hernandez but he started working with him in approximately 2011/2012 through Mauricio Hernandez.  

** Rodriguez was promoted after providing information to Mauricio Hernandez. He was told that Tony Hernandez had gotten him the promotion.

** Rodriguez testified that he had gone 10-15 times to a house owned by Tony Hernandez in the Modelo neighbourhood in Tegucigalpa between ~2011/2012.       

o   He went to the house to attend social gatherings and gatherings with “prostitutes”

o   During his visits, he saw packages of $20 USD bills inside a bedroom closet wrapped in plastic. The package was approximately 1.5 feet wide by 3 feet long. He testified that he had seen these types of packages before when traffickers paid for drugs.

o   The defense pushed Rodriguez on cross- examination to say that he was just told that the house was owned by Tony Hernandez but that he never saw Tony there and had never met him.

RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER TRAFFICKERS

 ** He started working with “El Rojo” in 2005 and met him in person. In total, Rodriguez testified to protecting approximately 15-25 drug shipments for “El Rojo”.

** “El Rojo” used dump trucks to transport drugs.

** Rodriguez saw and spoke to Mauricio Hernandez about his work with “El Rojo”. He was told by Mauricio Hernandez that “El Rojo” was protected by Tony Hernandez

Unresolved Procedural Issue: Defense Asks Judge to Allow Excluded Segments of Tony’s Interrogation Video to be Introduced as Evidence.

** At the end of the day, Tony’s defense team requests Judge Castel to allow that unseen parts of the video of Tony’s interrogation upon arrest be entered into evidence.

** The defense’s request comes at a controversial time in the trial. A significant amount of time is spent discussing whether the request has been made outside of the procedural moment allowed by law and how the case would proceed given that presenting new elements of the video would mean that Agent Gonzalez would have to go back on the stand and all questioning would have to happen again.

** Judge Castel expresses his concern that it would bias the jury to just show the parts of the video that were not introduced into evidence initially. The prosecutors argue that irrelevant parts were excluded. The defense argues that critical parts that show Tony’s state of mind and important context were left out.

** Judge Castel decided that he would allow both sides to submit by Sunday at noon their arguments and suggestions in writing as to why the unseen video segments should be introduced and how the court should procedurally proceed given the interruption in the flow of the trial that such request could have.

DAY FIVE: Tony Hernandez on Trial in New York

This summary is based on the Spanish language reporting published by Pro-Honduras Network (ProHN) and live twitter feed of Inter City Press. Watch the ProHN video posted below:

What Happened Today:

** Two witnesses testified: Collaborating witness Amilcar Alexander Ardon Soriano “Chande” continued on from yesterday; and Sandalio Gonzalez, a DEA agent that participated in Tony’s arrest.

** A video of Tony’s arrest and interrogation when arrested was shown to the court (see links below to watch all videos)

 Key Details that Surfaced:

SEE LINKS TO VIDEOs of Tony hernandez’s arrest below

** Tony’s own words when interrogated upon arrest corroborate information provided by El Rojo and Ardon in their testimonies (see links to these video below).

** The identity of co-conspirator-5 (CC-5) was revealed today. It is Roberto Ordoñez, the Honduran Minister of Energy (from Sept 2014 - 2016) who met with Ardon on behalf of JOH.

** The defense put a photo of witness and drug trafficker Ardon with US Ambassador James Nealon on the courtroom screens and asked questions related to the photo.

** Ardon talked about another donation of $1.5 million to JOH’s campaign. This puts total campaign donations at a minimum of $5.54 million.

** The judge told the court that someone had taken pictures of a juror in an intimidating manner during the break and that incident would be investigated.

 What Will Happen Tomorrow:

 ** Tomorrow is Yom Kippur and the court will not be in session. More witnesses will be called when trial is in session against on Thursday.

pictures of weapons with Honduran president Juan orlando hernandez’s name engraved on them. These pictures were shown in the courtroom yesterday. see Day FOUR summary for more info

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More Details:

** Tony/JOH’s mother attended the trial, some aunts, uncles, and brothers were also present in the courtroom.

** The judge stopped the trial to inform the court that one of the jurors had reported that someone attending the trial had taken pictures of the juror. The judge said this was a form of intimidation and obstruction of justice. The judge had ordered an investigation.

Continuation of Testimony of Drug Trafficker, Amilcar Alexander Ardon Soriano:

 INFORMATION MENTIONED YESTERDAY AND REPEATED TODAY

** Ardon reiterated but added more detail to many of the facts and events he mentioned yesterday. These include:

o   Being involved in or conspiring in 56 murders, 2 of which Tony Hernandez participated in directly (Ex. Murder Franklin Arita). El Chino was murdered in northern department of Colon while in prison after Tony Hernandez and Ardon ordered his killing. El Chino knew all about Tony’s drug involvement and helicopter movements.

o   Discussed the bribes that JOH and Lobo’s campaigns received from Ardon.

o   Ardon confessed that JOH requested money to gain electoral control in areas in Western Honduras. Ardon confessed to giving $50,000 for mayors throughout Lempira. Ardon said he gave $1.6 million for bribes in the department of Copan.

o   Tony’s defense and the prosecutor asked Ardon if he was worried about being extradited to the US from Honduras. Ardon responded that he was not because Tony and JOH protected him.

§  He turned himself in because one of his closest associates (Tony) had been arrested.

PAYING FOR SECURITY, PROTECTION & IMPUNITY & JOH NOT KEEPING HIS PROMISES

** Regarding the $1 million received to JOH and Tony, Ardon noted again that it was for protection not just for drug shipments but also to not be extradited to the US.

o   Ardon was asked if Honduran authorities had ever been accused of any crimes including murder in Honduras. Ardon responded no, none.

** The $1 million given by El Chapo to JOH was not just in exchange for protection for El Chapo, Ardon and others, but also for protection for the Valle Valle cartel.

o   When El Chapo offered the $1 million to JOH through Tony, Tony said that he was going to consult with his brother about it. JOH then approved the donation and asked Tony to receive it for him.

o   In a meeting between Ardon and JOH, Ardon asked what was going on in relation to the arrests of the members of the Valle Valle cartel. Ardon told JOH that El Chapo was pressuring him (re. Valle Valle arrests). JOH responded that he didn’t receive the $1 million bribe (in exchange for protection) but that JOH had told Tony to keep the $1 million. JOH said that if he wanted the $1 million, he would return it.

VALLE VALLE ARRESTS & HEAD OF POLICE, RAMON SABILLON

Ramon Sabillon. Police Chief for almost a year until November 2014.

** Former head of the police, Ramón Sabillón (1) participated in the arrests of the Valle Valle cartel in 2014 (despite protection money given by El Chapo’s $1 million to JOH). Following the arrests, Sabillón had asked JOH, why Tony and Ardon were not being arrested as well. Ardon said because the Valles were arrested for attempting to kill JOH.

 ** Tony Hernandez told Ardon that Ramón Sabillón would be removed from his position because he was onto Ardon’s drug trafficking business.

ARDON’S RELATIONSHIP WITH JUAN ORLANDO HERNANDEZ & ROBERTO ORDONEZ (CC-5).  

** Juan Orlando Hernandez met with Ardon in his house in Copan to discuss issues related to drug trafficking and security, but also would meet in the Fondo Vial’s [a government transportation institution] offices in Tegucigalpa. Then at a certain point in time, JOH stopped wanting to go to the meetings with Ardon so he sent Roberto Ordoñez, Honduras’ Energy Minister and JOH’s Electoral campaign chief, to tell Ardon that he represented JOH and that JOH was firing Hugo Ardon [Amilcar Alexander Ardon’s brother] from his position in the Fondo Vial. JOH said that the Honduran media was starting to report that Ardon was involved in drug trafficking and that it was best to be out of the public eye. But JOH told Ardon not to worry, that his brother would be given a position in his electoral campaign.

o   (Speculations of co-conspirator 5 (CC-5)’s identity have left many Hondurans guessing who CC-5 really is. Today, it seems like CC-5’s identity was confirmed when Ardon mentioned Roberto Ordoñez, Honduras’ Minister of Energy (Sept 2014 - April 2016) & Minister of SOPTRAVI (Sept 2014) who attended meetings on behalf of JOH.

** In 2013, Amilcar Ardon did not seek reelection because JOH asked him not to. But Ardon made another donation of $1.5 million to JOH’s campaign.

** In 2013, El Chapo met with Don Amado, Ardon and others in El Espiritu, Copan [western Honduras] where the Valle Valle family lives. When El Chapo arrived, he arrived with bodyguards. Honduran police provided security as well. This meeting occurred in a finca owned by the Valle Valles. El Chapo said he wanted security for drugs coming from Nicaragua and into Guatemala.

** Ardon mentioned that JOH would ask Carlos Pineda Fasquelle to set up meetings with Ardon when they got together.

** Out of fear (specifically after drug traffickers started to be extradited to the US), Ardon started to collect evidence of his meetings with Tony, El Chapo and JOH.

** JOH asked Mauricio Pineda Hernandez (Tony/JOH’s cousin) to call Ardon to ask him if he had turned himself into US authorities. At the time, Ardon was in El Paraíso, Copan. To be sure that Ardon was telling the truth, Pineda Hernandez asked him to call someone to verify his location.  

ARDON’S DRUG BUSINESS, INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME & FAMILY

** The list of the all the people that Ardon had killed or conspired to kill was shown to the jury today. On that list was Alfredo Landaverde (Advisor to Honduras’ drug czar. Landaverde was murdered in December 2011). Landaverde’s killing occurred when JOH and Tony were involved in drugs and receiving money from Ardon.

** Ardon was asked if he kept drug ledgers for his drug activities. He responded that he did but they were entrusted to Melvin Pinto. and then were destroyed.

** Ardon admitted that he made between $200 and $250 million running drugs. With his drug money, he purchased 15 ranches, houses, farm equipment, etc.

** Ardon said that his mother and his family know he’s a drug trafficker. His family had an agricultural business in Copan and used it to look ‘legit’. His family is in Spain (for safety reasons) and they went to the US to visit him three weeks ago.

DEFENSE SHOWS PICTURE OF UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR JAMES NEALON WITH ARDON:

Ambassador James Nealon, served in Honduras from 2014 to 2017.

** We asked Hondurans inside the courtroom about which US Ambassador was in the picture with Ardon. They told us it was James Nealon even though his name is not specifically mentioned in the tweets below.

 Testimony of DEA Agent Sandalio Gonzalez

 ** Discussed his involvement in the arrest and interrogation of Tony Hernandez on November 23, 2018 in the Miami airport.

** US agents including Gonzalez saw Tony get off the plane in Miami and go directly to the bathroom. They followed him. Gonzalez entered the bathroom to monitor the situation. They let Tony leave the bathroom and then arrested him in an area where there were few people inside the airport.

o   Tony was then taken to the Custom Border Protection (CBP) area inside the airport and then to the offices of the DEA where they questioned him and read him his rights and the charges against him.

THE VIDEO OF TONY’S ARREST AND INTERROGATION BY US AUTHORITIES IN MIAMI AIRPORT

** While the video was being shown in the trial, Tony looked very worried. His mother’s face looked tense.

** The video of Tony’s arrest on November 23 in the Miami airport, 2018 was shown to the jurors with an English translation.

o   Tony seemed like he was “collaborating” with the agents like he did in 2016 but he continued to lie. Tony’s lawyer was called but he was either busy or didn’t answer and Tony opted to continue in the interrogation.

o   Tony was visibly nervous and continued to lie saying he was a friend of Ardon’s and Toledo’s. Tony admitted to receiving gifts like a watch and a horse from them and that everyone knew what they were involved in but Tony said he didn’t want to get involved in that type of business.

o   In the video, Tony admits to knowing various Honduran drug traffickers saying that Mario Toledo was Tony’s close friend who stayed in Tony’s house but who was later murdered. Tony addmited to knowing “El Rojo” and meeting him in San Pedro Sula. He said that “El Rojo” had given him a horse through Toledo. He admitted to knowing or meeting with Don H twice. Admitted to knowing the Valle Valles, Los Cachiros and “Toño Frontera”, etc. He said that he met with Ardon and knew he was a drug trafficker. When asked in the video how he knew that Ardon was a trafficker, he said that he noticed that he was doing well economically and Tony assumed that he must be involved in drugs. Tony said he knew Hugo Ardon and knew he worked in the Fondo Vial. He admitted also knowing Mario Jose Calix. Tony admitted receiving gifts from drug traffickers.

o   Tony mentioned drug routes used by drug traffickers. When asked by the agents how he knows the routes, Tony responds that his friends (the drug traffickers above) told him about them.

** Tony’s interrogation corroborates facts that El Rojo and Ardon mentioned in their court testimonies such as where he met El Rojo, drug routes, etc.

A BLACKBERRY CONVERSATION (TEXT MESSAGE CONVERSATION?) WAS PRESENTED:

** This was removed from Tony’s phone at the time of his arrest.

** The image of the cocaine stamped with TH was extracted from Tony’s phone that was seized at the time of his arrest.

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CITATIONS

(1) RAMON SABILLON was the Head of the Honduran National Police. Sabillón was head of the police for almost a year but was dismissed from the institution in November 2014. Sabillon participated in the arrests of members of the Valle Valle cartel. Honduran media, specifically Radio Globo reported at the time that Sabillon went around President Juan Orlando Hernandez, defied his orders, and arrested the Valles together with elite forces trained and working with the U.S. government. After he was dismissed, he denounced that his and his family’s life were in danger.

DAY FOUR: Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez’s (JOH) brother, Tony Hernandez on Trial in New York

This summary is based on the Spanish language reporting published by Pro-Honduras Network (ProHN) and live twitter feed from Inter City Press. Watch the ProHN video posted below:

What Happened Today:

** Two witnesses testified: Honduran historian Darío Euraque and Amilcar Alexander Ardon Soriano, former National Party mayor from El Paraíso, Copan.

Key Details that Surfaced:

Amilcar Alexander ardon Soriano with Honduran president juan orlando hernandez.

** In 2009, Ardon gave ex-President Lobo and JOH $2 million dollars, and $1 million just to JOH through Tony for their campaigns in exchange for protection, security, information about radars and police/military activities, and also, a government position for his brother, Hugo Ardon. Ardon was in the meeting when El Chapo gave $1 million in plastic bags for JOH’s campaign. This brings total donations to JOH and Lobo’s campaigns to $4.04 million.

** In 2009, Ardon met with former President Lobo and JOH in the National Party headquarters in San Pedro Sula and openly discussed drug trafficking.

** El Chapo moved tonnes of cocaine in transport trucks owned by Televisa (a mass Mexican media company).

** Ardon and Tony were major providers of cocaine to ‘El Chapo’ and the Sinaloa cartel

** Ardon corroborated ‘El Rojo’s’ testimony who named Juan Carlos “El Tigre” Bonilla, former Head of National Police as being involved in drug-related killings. Tony’s direct participation in at least two killings was also confirmed.

What Will Happen Tomorrow:

 ** Witness Amílcar Alexander Ardon will continue testifying

** Another witness may be called if there is time.

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More Details:

 ** Various family members (at least 8) in the Hernandez family were present including JOH/Tony’s mother, their brother Amilcar Hernandez, and others.

o   Many in the family were taking notes of what was being said in the trial.

** Ardon testified for 3 hours, 40 minutes today and the prosecutor told the judge at the end of the day that he still had 3 more hours of questioning.

Testimony of Honduran historian Darío Euraque:

 ** Profile: Works at Trinity College in Connecticut, was part of President Zelaya’s Cabinet from 2006-2009, has published seven books.

** Explained the profile of various individuals (Alexander Ardon, Soraya Calix, etc) in the list that was given to the jurors on the first day of the trial.

** Discussed what OABI is (the Honduran government institution in charge of confiscating assets obtained through illicit activities) and mentioned that few of Tony Hernandez’s assets had been confiscated.

** Explained the power that Congressional representatives, their substitutes, mayors, etc, have in the context of Honduran politics.

** Tony’s defense attempted to associate the witness with the LIBRE Party saying that Euraque is disgruntled with the government (and thus speaking negatively about JOH) because he was remove from his position (like all of Zelaya’s Cabinet) during/after the coup.

o   Questioned his credibility by presenting interviews he had previously given to different media.

** Explained different extraditions from Honduras, illegal re-election, 2013 and 2017 electoral frauds, etc. etc.

Testimony from Collaborating Witness, Amilcar Alexander Ardon Soriano:

 (Divided into sub-sections for clarity)

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS (TONY’S REACTIONS IN COURTROOM)

 ** During certain moments of Ardon’s presentation, Tony seemed nervous. Normally Tony gives the impression that he’s relaxed but as soon as Ardon entered the courtroom, he got nervous and starting fidgeting with a pen.

o   At one point during Ardon’s testimony, Tony took his defense attorney’s laptop and starting typing something.  

juan antonio “Tony” hernandez. Picture taken in the National Congress in Honduras when Tony was a congress representative.

o   In previous hearings, Tony has attended in his prison uniform – a dark, navy blue one-piece suit, which is the uniform used in Metropolitan Correction Center (located across the street from the NY Southern District court).

o   Today, Ardon was dressed in a beige uniform. It seems like he is not being held in the Metropolitan Correction Center like the majority of extradited Honduran drug traffickers. Its possible Ardon is being held in Brooklyn.

ARDON’S DRUG TRAFFICKING & HANDING HIMSELF OVER TO US AUTHORITIES

 ** Ardon turned himself over to US authorities in March 2019 after Tony was arrested. Tony, former President Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo, and JOH helped provide protection to Ardon. After Tony was arrested, Ardon decided to just turn himself in thinking that Tony may be giving US authorities information about him.  

o   Ardon plead guilty to drug trafficking and weapons smuggling

o   He admitted to being involved in 56 assassinations and injuring at least 4 people.

** From 2010 to 2018, he transported between 30 to 40 tons of cocaine to the US

** Ardon ran drug labs in Honduras and stamped his cocaine with double As. He said he had seen other stamps like Tony’s TH stamp, also Nike, a stick figure, and a star.

THE DRUG BUSINESS: ARDON, TONY, OTHER DRUG TRAFFICKERS & EL CHAPO GUZMAN

** In 2011, he saw the first shipment of cocaine stamped with TH. He corroborated what ‘El Rojo’ said regarding the TH stamp.

** Said that Ardon met Tony Hernandez in La Entrada, Copan where they met many times. The first time, they didn’t talk about drug trafficking but later would speak about it frequently.  

** In 2011, Ardon sent cocaine to El Chapo Guzman using the trucks of the mass Mexican media company Televisa. The deal involved Tony Hernandez, Noel and Victor Blanco, and the Valle brothers.

** In 2013, Tony, Ardon, Mario Jose Calix Hernandez, Hugo Ardon (1), Don Amado (El Chapo’s contact/associate in Guatemala), Melvin Pinto, Oto Salgado and Ronaldo Salgado met with ‘El Chapo’ met in El Paraiso, Copan.

o   During the meeting, El Chapo asked Tony if he could provide his contact information to be in closer touch. Then El Chapo sent Don Amado to the car to get the $1 million dollars that El Chapo gave to JOH’s campaign in 2013. Ardon said that the money was wrapped in plastic bags and they counted it together.

o   Tony, Ardon, and Wilter Blanco were El Chapo’s suppliers in Honduras.  

o   Ardon mentioned that he met with ‘El Chapo’ 6 times. The first time was in 2007.

** In 2011, Ardon mentioned to Tony that he had drug labs and Tony said he did as well in Lempira. The labs were used to fix spoiled cocaine packages that had been damaged or gotten wet. They would repackage them to send them to the US.

** Ardon spoke with Tony about Los Cachiros in 2010. Tony was worried because he wanted to use the route from Gracias a Dios to Colon. Ardon said that he had an agreement with Wilter Blanco (2) and was going to work with them in this route.

** The Valle Valle cartel (3) worked in El Espiritu, El Copan and were Ardon and Tony’s associates. The Valles had a worker named ‘Toño Frontera’ (4) who helped with transporting drugs. He was the Valle contact with Guancho León in Guatemala. 

** El Chapo met with Tony personally between 2008 and 2013.

** El Chapo moved his drugs in Televisa trucks. In these trucks, up to 6000 tons of cocaine could fit inside these trucks. Ardon said that in 2007, El Chapo confessed that he used Televisa trucks. Ardon offered 2 tons for a shipment but said he would put El Chapo in contact with Tony because Tony was Ardon’s provider at that time. Ardon didn’t have drug labs that could produce large quantities but Tony did with his partner ‘El Cinco’ in Colombia.

o   Mentioned that he (Ardon) talked to Tony, telling him that he needed drugs to fill a shipment of 2 tonnes.

o   The first shipment that they sent to El Chapo left from San Pedro Sula, passed through El Paraiso, Copan. Tony provided 1000 kilos. All the shipments were protected by Tony and all the information needed about police posts and radars were provided by Tony as well (this verifies what El Rojo testified).

o   They never sold shipments to El Chapo that were less than 1000 kilograms. Tony took one shipment of 1000 kilograms from San Pedro Sula to La Entrada, Copan in helicopter.

** Ardon said that he had to use transport trucks at one point to move the drugs he sold to El Chapo.

** Ardon paid Tony $10,000/kilogram of cocaine (corroborating what El Rojo said) and he would then sell it for $11,000/kilogram in Guatemala.

** Ardon talked about two assassinations that Tony Hernandez participated in directly.

** Tony produced drugs in his labs in Colombia and transported them through Panama to Honduras, then to Guatemala, and then into the hands of Mexican cartels or directly to US markets (when they could no longer sell to El Chapo). Helicopters could only transport a total of 350-500 kilograms, so they started using boats and submarines. Tony told Ardon that boats could transport more drugs.

** The first shipment by boat was 750 kilos in 2011. Ardon transported them into Guatemala.

** Submarines and boats were sent from Colombia through Panama bay into Costa Rica and Nicaragua to the coasts of three departments in Honduras: Gracias a Dios, Colon and Atlántida. These people had contacts like Wilter Blanco who worked with the Los Cachiros cartel and routes would be divided into sectors where each worked. At times, each would work their sector but there were also times when there were conflicting interests.

** Mentioned that Wilton Blanco was an associate of Ardon. (Blanco may also be a collaborating witness). In 2004, they started working in Gracias a Dios, Colon, and Atlántida departments, which were departments where Blanco worked. 

** Ardon estimated that he moved 250 tons of cocaine and that his relatives participated including Hugo Ardon and Lionel Leiva.

** A piece of evidence, one M-60 engraved with “Juan Orlando Hernandez, President of Honduras” next to a Honduran flag, was presented. According to Ardon, Tony Hernandez showed Ardon the photographs of various arms including the M-60 and AK47s.

o   Also presented other weapons (or pictures of them) as evidence including an R15, revolvers, bazooka, M16, M60s, etc.  

** President Lobo and JOH conspired, provided security, and collaborated to move thousands of tons of cocaine.

 INVOLVEMENT OF HONDURAN POLICE AND MILITARY AND POLICE IN TRAFFICKING DRUGS:

 ** Ardon testified that Porfirio Lobo sent two loads of military (approximately 120 military) to the border to protect the border because a powerful Guatemalan drug trafficker named Orellana was threatening their business.

o   When Ardon told Tony about the threats, Tony responded that only Pepe Lobo could order protection at the border.

o   Pepe Lobo then sent the military to the Guatemala/Honduras border and the military stayed there for 2 months. They were armed with bazookas and M16s.

** Tony received all the information needed to protect drug shipments from his and JOH’s cousin, Mauricio Hernandez. Mauricio Hernandez was also involved in drug-related killings ordered by Tony.

** Ardon said today that Tony Hernandez would participate in killing people that threatened interests. Tony would ask former head of police, Juan Carlos ‘El Tigre” Bonilla to carry out killings.

o   Ardon gave one example of Franklin Arita Mata (5), who was refusing to run drugs through his territory into Guatemala. Tony told Ardon that Arita would have to be killed and that he would call the Copan police chief Bonilla and get it done.  Another man named ‘El Chino’ also threatened Ardon’s business and Tony told Ardon that El Chino would have to be killed because El Chino had all the information about the helicopters.

o   El Tigre Bonilla was mentioned as being one of the critical people that carried out assassinations as requested by Tony Hernandez.

The Municipal office in El Paraiso, copan. Built by former El Paraiso mayor, Amilcar Alexander Ardon. Its said that the building resembles the white house and has a heliport on the rooftop. photo from proceso digital.

DONATIONS & BRIBES TO ELECTORAL CAMPAIGNS

 ** Ardon gave bribes to finance National Party campaigns in 2005, 2009, 2013, and 2014. His largest contribution was $2 million for campaigns of Porfirio Lobo and JOH in 2009 (after the coup).

o   The money was handed over to Tony Hernandez and Porfirio Lobo. He always supported the National party campaigns, not just Presidential or congressional campaigns, but also mayors. In exchange, both were to provide security for his shipments of drug through the Minister of Defense and Security.

o   Ardon also asked for a position for his brother, Hugo Ardon, who was named head of ‘Fondo Vial’ (Honduran institution responsible for highway maintenance and construction). Around 2009-2010, a road was paved in Copan specifically upon request from Ardon because it was a major drug transit route.

** Ardon said he spoke with directly with JOH via telephone in December 2009 and JOH mentioned that he needed him to help bribe Congressional reps in Copan to vote for his election to the President of Congress. JOH said he would be protected and Hugo Ardon would get a government position.  

o   Ardon accepted to bribe Congressional reps in Copan so they would vote for JOH to be President of Congress.

** Ardon met with Porfirio Lobo in 2008 on a helicopter pad. Pofirio asked for money to finance the National party campaign and to finance mayors in Copan. Porfirio Lobo said that JOH would be the next President if they won and that he needed money to help finance JOH’s campaign as well. All of this for protection and guaranteed position for his brother, Hugo Ardon.

o   Ardon first gave $1 million in bribes in packages of dollars between $50,000 to $100,000 in black bags.

o   The second meeting was in 2009 in the headquarters of the National Party in San Pedro Sula where Ardon met with Pepe Lobo and JOH and spoke openly about drug trafficking. Pepe confirmed that he received the $1 million (the first part of his contribution) for his campaign.

o   Porfirio Lobo told JOH needed a contribution to win the Presidency of the Congress

o   One month after, Ardon met with Tony Hernandez, Mario Calix and Hugo Ardon in Santa Rosa de Copan where Tony said he was working with Colombians he had met through the Valle Valle cartel. Tony told him that if the National Party won the elections, Ardon would have access to information about the radars.

o   In 2009 when they won, Ardon had this access and began moving drugs with Tony’s helicopters that Ardon paid $50,000/trip to use. Tony provided the pilots and the information about the radar so that the helicopters wouldn’t be stopped.  

---

CITATIONS

(1)  HUGO ARDON is collaborating witness and confessed drug trafficker, Amilcar Alexander Ardon Soriano. Hugo was appointed to the head of Fondo Vial, which is the Honduran institution responsible for the maintenance, construction, administration, etc. of the highway and road system in Honduras. Hugo Ardon resigned from the position in 2015.

The Fondo Vial has been “intervened” by Honduran investigative bodies because of contracts that were signed between the state fund and the Los Cachiros drug cartel including one contract in 2012 for 18.1 million lempiras [$740,000 USD] to allegedly build a highway in northern Honduras.

(2)  WILTER NEPTALI BLANCO RUIZ is a drug trafficker that headed the Atlantic Cartel in Honduras. The cartel operated in the eastern department of Gracias a Dios, Colon, the Bay Islands, and Atlátida. Blanco was arrested in Costa Rica and extradited to the United States in mid-2019. He was allegedly responsible for sending shipments of cocaine to South Korea and ordering the killings of Julian Aristides Gonzalez Irías and Gustavo Alfredo Landaverde hernandez, two high-level official in the national anti-narcotics agency.

 (3) VALLE VALLE CARTEL was a powerful drug trafficking cartel in Honduras, largely based along the Guatemala border but into the department of Santa Barbara as well. The cartel was a family-run business that included Miguel Arnulfo Valle Valle and his two brothers, Luis Alfonso and Jose Reynerio. Their sister, Digna Valle Valle, was also involved but she was the first arrested by US authorities in July 2014. Miguel Anulfo and Luis Alfonso were extradited to the US in December 2014.

(4) “TOñO FRONTERA” or Héctor Antonio Vásquez Torres, was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in March 2017 with three others – two Mexicans and one Honduran (at least one of them also requested for extradition to the US  – for conspiring or attempting to murder President Juan Orlando Hernandez.

Day Three: President Juan Orlando Hernandez's (JOH) brother, Tony Hernandez On Trial in New York

This summary is based on the Spanish language reporting published by Pro-Honduras Network (ProHN) on their Facebook page. Watch the video posted below.

Victor Hugo Diaz morales, alias “El Rojo” testifying against tony hernandez is the new york southern district court. Sketch published by TeleMundo.

What Happened Today:

** Victor Hugo Díaz Morales, nickname “El Rojo”, a collaborating witness for the prosecution continued to testify.

Key Details that Surfaced:

** In 2009, El Rojo gave $100,000 to Tony Hernandez to support Porfirio Lobo’s Presidential campaign and JOH’s congressional reelection.

** “El Rojo” named and detailed the fundamental role of Honduran police and military in trafficking drugs and ensuring the protection of drug traffickers. This included Juan Carlos “El Tigre” Bonilla, the former Director of the Honduran National Police.  

** Tony provided and charged “El Rojo” $55,000 for information related to drug plane radars and military/police checkpoints for each drug shipment.

** Tony Hernandez sold ammunition to “El Rojo” in metal boxes with the Honduran military’s logo on them.

** Tony operated his own drug laboratories in Colombia.

What Will Happen Tomorrow:

** Trial suspended until Monday when three witnesses will be called including a DEA weapons expert and collaborating witness, Honduran drug trafficker and former mayor, Amílcar Alexander Ardón.

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Other Details:

Testimony from Collaborating Witness, Victor Hugo Díaz, alias “El Rojo”:

(Divided into sub-sections for clarity)

** Tony entered the trial looking happy today wearing the same suit jacket and tie that he has been wearing the last few days.

INVOLVEMENT OF HONDURAN POLICE AND MILITARY IN TRAFFICKING DRUGS:

** The Prosecutor spent a significant amount of time in the morning showing the power and involvement of the police in supporting drug trafficking and traffickers. Tony was consistently named as the person that provided “El Rojo” with military and police information, which facilitated his drug trafficking.  

** From 2004 to 2007, “El Rojo” had met with various members of the Honduran police and Tony helped move police officials of his choosing to assist in drug operations but for a price.

** In 2007, “El Rojo” participated in meetings with Tony and Normando Rafael Lozano, head of the National police in Santa Rosa de Copan, Copan.

o   “El Rojo” asked Tony to not transfer Lozano to Tegucigalpa because Lozano assisted transporting drugs into Guatemala.

o   In 2007, “El Rojo” paid $5000 so that Lozano would not be moved to Tegucigalpa

** Between 2007 and 2008, police official Marcio Flores Santos worked with “El Rojo” in La Entrada, Copan and that “El Rojo” paid Tony $5,000 to have him transferred to western Copan (a critical drug transiting route, like in Santa Rosa de Copan, also in department of Copan)

Juan Carlos “El Tigre” Bonilla. Photo from La Prensa (Honduras)

** Tony told “El Rojo” that JOH would place Juan Carlos “El Tigre” Bonilla (1) in a key position inside his cabinet and that Bonilla would guarantee security for drug shipments and notified them of key police movements.

o   Bonilla was a co-conspirator allowing the movement of Tony’s cocaine from Colombia, which was passed to allies in Guatemala and then Mexico.

o   Tony also told “El Rojo” that “El Tigre” Bonilla was a person of confidence of JOH and that he was available to assist them in trafficking drugs. Tony said that Bonilla was violent and trained to kill.

** Tony told “El Rojo” that police official and JOH/Tony’s cousin, Mauricio Hernandez Pineda (2) helped with the importation of drugs and provided information of routes and police checkpoints in the department of Copan. Mauricio Hernandez Pineda and Hernan Hernandez, cousins of Tony and JOH, helped traffic drugs and gave information about investigations, movements of police, etc.

** Police official, Geovani Rodriguez provided “El Rojo” with security when he trafficked drugs in 2004.

o   Trafficker Ruben Mejía presented “El Rojo” to police official Geovani Rodriguez. Ruben Mejía trafficked drugs from Colombia and stamped his cocaine with his initials ‘RM.’ Mejía was the owner of a butcher shop and a car rental and automobile supply store.

NAMES OF OTHER DRUG TRAFFICKERS:

** El Rojo mentioned drug trafficker Marlon Recinos who worked with Tony transporting drugs into Guatemala.

** Gave declarations of his participation with Tony Hernandez and the mini cartel from the department of Lempira that includes Tony’s right-hand man, Mario José Calix Hernandez (3).

** Another person mentioned was Mauro Flores Santos who was transferred to San Pedro Sula but he was needed in Copan because it was a key route for El Rojo. El Rojo paid $5,000 to keep him in Copan.

“EL ROJO’S” BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH TONY HERNANDEZ:

** Between 2004 and 2007, “El Rojo” purchased drugs from Tony Hernandez and his Colombian partner, ‘El Cinco’. “El Rojo” purchased three to four shipments of drugs from Tony per month.

o   “El Rojo” purchased his first shipment of 400 kilograms of TH cocaine from Tony and his Colombian partner, “El Cinco.” “El Rojo” paid $10,000 for each kilogram of cocaine. El Rojo paid Tony $50,000 for information about the drug plan radars because the 400 kilograms were transported by plane. “El Rojo” also paid $5,000 for information on police and military checkpoints on the route

o   The second shipment he purchased from Tony and “El Cinco” was 500 kilograms of TH cocaine. When “El Rojo” made this deal, Mario José Calix Hernandez was present. Again, “El Rojo” paid additional money ($55,000) for information on the radars and checkpoints. In this shipment, the cocaine landed in Gualaco, Olancho. Mario Jose Calix assisted with the movement of this shipment.

o   The third drug purchase was made in El Espiritu, Copan where the Valle Valle cartel controlled drugs. El Rojo purchased 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from Tony and his Colombian counterpart ‘El Cinco’. Tony specified how he wanted “El Rojo” to pay him: he asked “El Rojo” to pay $1 million in 100-dollar bills.

** Later in a meeting in Gracias, Lempira in the ‘Finca El Capitán’ with Tony and Mario Jose Calix, Tony told “El Rojo” that his Colombia partner ‘El Cinco’ had been killed. He was now going to work with Nelson Gongora in labs that Tony owned in Colombia.

** El Rojo purchased ammunition from police officer Normando Lorzano, who received them directly from Tony Hernandez. El Rojo said he once purchased 4,000 to 6,000 ammunitions that were packaged in metal boxes with the Honduran military logo on them.

** El Rojo gifted two Rolex watches to Tony (one for his wife), a bull, and Peruvian horse, and two guns to thank him for the provided information.

“EL ROJO’S” DRUG TRAFFICKING:

** Between 2004 and 2010, El Rojo sent shipments between 8 and 10 months per year, and he sent 3 to 4 shipments of cocaine that were never less than 500 kilograms and usually between 500 and 1000 kilograms. And approximately 3 times/year, El Rojo would transport 2,500 kilograms of cocaine.

o   In 2007 and 2010, El Rojo shipped 4 to 5 shipments of drugs/month.

** El Rojo said that a lot of drug traffickers put their stamp on their drug shipments.

 “EL ROJO’S” DRUG WARS WITH DRUG TRAFFICKER “DON H”:

** In 2011, “El Rojo” went to Colombia because a drug war had started between him and Don H. He participated in two assassinations – the murder of Carlos Toledo and Javier Benitez Rosa. “El Rojo” said he killed them because they were positioning themselves in favor of Don H.

o   In 2012, “El Rojo” returned to Honduras and met with Mario Calix Hernandez in the Finca El Capitan in Lempira. Together with Nelson Gongora, Tony told “El Rojo” that he would continue to receive information about police/military checkpoints along the route to Guatemala.

MARIO CALIX HERNANDEZ AS TONY HERNANDEZ’S MIDDLEMAN:

** In 2014, Mario Jose Calix purchased a drug shipment from Tony. Calix paid Tony to ensure that the drugs got to the Sinaloa cartel (in Mexico).

** Mario Calix became the middleman between “El Rojo” and Tony Hernandez. Mario Calix began receiving drug payments for Tony.

** Mario Calix purchased a cable business from “El Rojo” in 2002 – 2004 in Gracias, Lempira. (Its possible that Mario Calix is a collaborating witness of the prosecution to confirm information provided by “El Rojo”).

DONATIONS TO ELECTORAL CAMPAIGNS & PROTECTION FROM EXTRADITION:

** Said that he donated $100,000 to finance JOH and Pepe Lobo’s Presidential campaigns in addition to the $40,000 to JOH that “El Rojo” mentioned yesterday.

o   In a meeting with Tony Hernandez in February 2010, Tony told “El Rojo” that JOH would be the next Presidential candidate. “El Rojo” responded that JOH was too young to be President. Tony responded that it didn’t matter and that few people knew of JOH’s candidacy. Following the February 2010 meeting, “El Rojo” offered the $100,000 for JOH and Pepe Lobo’s campaigns.  

** In a later meeting (after February 2010) during one of “El Rojo’s” birthday celebrations, Tony mentioned that other drug traffickers would provide campaign donations to JOH – Alexander Ardón (4), Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga and Javier Rivera Maradiaga (5) (known as ‘Los Cachiros’)

** Tony told “El Rojo” that they would always be untouchable from extradition because extradition was a slow process that had to be approved by Honduran institutions.

** “El Rojo” offered Tony to give money to bribe politicians to allow for JOH’s election in Congress.  Mentioned that Los Cachiros, Alexander Ardón, and Rodolfo Irías Navas (a current and long-standing National Party Congressman) were involved in bribing politicians to support JOH’s election.

** Said that Fredy Renán Nájera Montoya (a former National party Congressional representative for the Olancho department) and Oscar Ramón Nájera (current National party Congressional representative for the Colón department) were the intermediaries to bribe Congress representatives to support Mauricio Oliva’s election to President of Congress.

** Oscar Ramírez, alias “Alero” who is also a lawyer, was in charge of bribing Honduran judges and prosecutors. He defended “Don H” in some cases, bribing the judges and prosecutors to stop the legal procedures against him.

** “El Rojo” paid for Carlos Toledo to be killed (who presented “El Rojo” to Tony Hernandez in approximately 2004). Tony knew this and continued working with “El Rojo” anyways.

** “El Rojo” admitted to killing a 3-year old in the drug war with “Don H”. “El Rojo” paid to kill one of “Don H’s family member and his child was killed during the armed attack.  

Expectations for the future testimony of Amílcar Alexander Ardón:

** Expected to be a extremely damning testimony with evidence of more campaign funding for Juan Orlando Hernandez and former President Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo.

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CITATIONS

(1) Juan Carlos “El Tigre” Bonilla is the former head of the Honduran national police. He was appointed in 2012 and removed from his position mid-2013. Dana Frank wrote about Bonilla in her article ‘Thugocracy Next door”: “Immediately after Bonilla was appointed in May 2012, a former police inspector released findings of an investigation documenting that Bonilla had been a death squad leader overseeing assassinations of alleged gang members in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He continued to serve as the police director even after the Associated Press reported last year that the Honduran police under Bonilla’s control were responsible for at least six new death square “social cleansing” murders of alleged gang members.”

(2) Mauricio Hernandez Pineda, was requested by the Department of Justice for extradition on September 4, 2019 on charges related to drug trafficking. In the DOJ’s press release, Pineda is referred to as Tony Hernandez’s cousin.

(3) Mario José Calix Hernandez, Tony Hernandez’s right hand man who has several family members in powerful government positions in Honduras.

(4) Amílcar Alexander Ardon Soriano, is the former mayor of the western municipality of El Paraíso, Copan and is known in Honduras for building a replica of the White House as the municipal building in El Paraíso. Ardon worked alongside Tony Hernandez to traffic drugs. On January 23, 2019, the US Department of Justice requested Ardon’s extradition to the United States to face charges of “conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and related firearms offenses.”

 Ardon’s municipality El Paraíso was the center of electoral fraud and drug-related crime in the 2013 Honduran general elections. Washington-based think tank CEPR wrote an excellent description of how the elections played out in El Paraíso when Ardon was still mayor.

(5) Los Cachiro brothers, Javier Rivera Maradiaga and Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga, are drug traffickers that along with several of their family members, were extradited to the United States. According to Insight Crime, the Cachiros were “one of Honduras’ largest transport groups, with a net worth close to $1 billion.”

"State-sponsored drug trafficking": Who is Tony Hernandez's middle man, Mario José Calix Hernandez?

Interesting side information about Mario José Calix Hernandez, Tony Hernandez’s middle-man who was mentioned in the NY courtroom today. Tony Hernandez is the brother of Honduran President, Juan Orlando Hernandez.

New York Times’s reporter Emily Palmer posted a live tweet thread of collaborating witness, Victor Hugo Díaz Morales “El Rojo”’s testimony today in the New York Southern District court. These tweets mention Mario Jose Calix.

Tweets from: https://twitter.com/emilyepalmer/status/1180182168598978560?s=20

Who is Mario Jose Calix Hernandez?

According to the United States Department of Justice:

Mario Jose Calix Hernandez. Photo from La Tribuna, Honduras.

 “CALIX HERNANDEZ, 36, a citizen of Honduras, is charged in three counts in a separate Superseding Indictment:  (1) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, (2) using and carrying machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the cocaine importation conspiracy, and (3) conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices during, and to possess machineguns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the cocaine importation conspiracy. “ – press statement by NY District Attorney’s Office.

*** The right hand man of Tony Hernandez although no known family relation (despite the last name). Calix Hernandez is a "co-defendant and co-conspirator of Tony Hernandez" according to US prosecutors

*** Former vice mayor of Gracias, Lempira (JOH's home town)

Mario José Calix Hernandez is not only Tony Hernandez’s middle-man but he is also, just like Tony Hernandez, a man connected to powerful individuals in the Honduran government. Just examining Calix Hernandez’s family relationships with people in power in Honduras, one really gets the sense of the US and Canadian-backed narco-mafia state that Honduras has become …. in case you had any doubts.

Who are Mario Jose Calix Hernandez’s family members?

A. Lourdes Alejandra Hernández Quan

** Niece of Iris Hernández Cruz, the mother of Mario Calix Hernandez

** Vice-Minister of Security

Source: here

B. Patricia Calix Hernandez

** Sister of Mario Calix Hernandez

** Spouse of Feryd Bascha Sahury (see below)

C. Feryd Bascha Sahury 

** Spouse of Patricia Calix Hernandez, sister of Mario Calix Hernandez

** Vice-Minister of the Presidential palace, Sub-secretary of Integration and Human Development, formerly the Executive Director of the National Youth Institute

** Was a candidate for deputy Congressman in 2012 for Fernando Lobo, cousin of  Fabio Lobo, who is in prison in NY for drug charges.  

** Feryd Bascha is also currently accused of fraud involved in a scheme to illegally transfer property titles in the National Property Institute in the names of other people. 

Sources: here and here

Feryd Bascha standing next to Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez. Picture from Libertad Digital

D. Soraya Calix

** First cousin of Mario Calix Hernandez

** Director of the Office for the Fight Against Drug Trafficking in the Attorney General’s office

Source: here

Soraya Calix, picture from Attorney General’s office in Honduras www.mp.hn

E. Mario Leonel Calix Hernandez (known as "Charamila")

** Brother of Mario Calix

** Business associate of Ana Garcia de Hernandez, JOH's spouse through a television company based in Gracias, Lempira. 

** President of the Chamber of Tourism in Gracias, Lempira (JOH's home town)

Source:  here

F. Jacobo Antonio Calix Hernandez

** Brother of Mario Calix

** Former Magistrate in the Criminal court in the Supreme Court.

** Part of the Supreme Court that ordered President Manuel Zelaya's ouster and arrest during the 2009 coup d'état  

** Publicly accused in 2016 of emitting a ruling that favored judges known and accused by the Ministerio Publico of protecting drug traffickers

Source: here

G. Erika Yolanda Calix Hernandez

** Sister of Mario Calix

** Former criminal court judge in department of Lempira, accused of abuse of authority for freeing two Colombian drug traffickers arrested when Honduran authorities raided a drug laboratory in La Iguala, Lempira. Both Colombians were defended by Tony Hernandez's legal firm. 

Source: here

H. Jacobo Hernandez Calix

** Uncle of Mario Calix

** Ex-President of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE)

** Former Presidential advisor under the administration of President Rafael Callejas, who pleaded guilty for racketeering and wire fraud conspiracy charges in the US linked to the FIFA scandals. Callejas is waiting to be sentenced in the US. 

Source: here and here and here