So far I've deliberately not mentioned anything about the trial going on in Miami because up to now it's been pure yada yada "we're gonna prove this" on one side and "my client is totally innocent" on the other. But today we heard the first recording made of conversations between the suitcase carrier turned supergrass, Guido Antonini Wilson, and the accused, Franklin Durán.Things are now getting juicy, but one thing to keep in mind is that by this time, Antonini was working for the Feds and secretly taping the conversations. He was also trying to get as much information as possible for the US Feds, and a defence of entrapment is likely to be used by Durán.
As well as Antonini and Durán, in the recording a guy called Guillermo Ledesma, an Argentine lawyer, is also heard speaking. Critically they talk about a certain Claudio Uberti, who was one of Nestor Kirchner's inner circle of functionaries and the man who travelled with Antonini on the plane.
Here we go with the tapescript as heard by the court; My only comment so far is that this whole charade is likely to embarrass the Kirchner end of South America more than the Chávez end.
Translation Otto.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Franklin Durán : (in reference to a Venezuela-Argentina agreement to close the case) "There are elections on the 28th October, and there's risk if Cristina doesn't win, we have to assume that risk".
(Speaking to Antonini); If Cristina doesn't win the election, thet will give it to you hard, with a bat. If the opposition win you'll be the scapegoat."
Guido Antonini : "If I talk everybody will go to prison."
Franklin Durán: "The real truth is that they are argentines and they will defend their own territory, and the only one that will go to prison is you."
Guillermo Ledesma : "You have to hand yourself in. That way you'll give a signal to the Argentine government that you won't sell out."
Guido Antonini : "Who will guarantee this?" (meaning that he won't go to jail)
Guillermo Ledesma : "Kirchner and Chávez".
Guido Antonini : "Today, the only weapon I have is the truth. They tell me that this is a political disaster."
(Referring to Claudio Uberti) "He asked me to carry the briefcase. Well, i did him the favour of carrying the briefcase. That was all, as easy as that."
"I need the goverment (of Venezuela) to give me a guarantee, to give me something for the benefit of my family."
Franklin Durán : "What guarantee do you want? You finished with half the money, $400,000."
Guido Antonini : "No, I want more".
Franklin Durán : "How much do you need them to transfer you? Tell me to which account?".
Guido Antonini : "Who's going to give you it?"
Franklin Durán : "It doesn't matter to you".
Guido Antonini : "I'm going to ask you for a million dollars. And I'm not going to prison?".
Franklin Durán: "You're not going to prison, I'm guaranteeing you that."
Guido Antonini : Why did Rafael Ramírez (Venezuela Energy minister) wash his hands of all this?
Franklin Durán : "Rafael Ramírez is not washing his hands of this, he can't wash his hands of this any more. President Chávez already knows the Rafael Ramírez's assistant was the person who carried the briefcase on to the plane."