(Trends Wide Spanish) –– The defense of Genaro García Luna must decide if the former Secretary of Public Security of Mexico will testify in the trial he faces in New York. During the hearing this Wednesday, Judge Brian M. Cogan gave a deadline until Monday for the former official’s lawyers to define whether he will testify or not.
That same day, prosecutors await the statement of a cooperating witness. After his testimony, the Prosecutor’s Office says that he can finish his case. Through a letter addressed to the judge, the prosecution anticipated that it plans to conclude next Tuesday, several weeks ahead of schedule.
Then, it will be the turn of the ex-secretary’s defense, who explained to the judge that he is still evaluating whether García Luna will testify in the trial. If the former secretary testifies, the Prosecutor’s Office must prepare his cross-examination.
Leaving court, defense attorney César de Castro told the media that García Luna has the final decision on testifying in the trial. He also said that he was not surprised that prosecutors ended the witness presentation early and that it may be part of his strategy.
At this Wednesday’s hearing, prosecutors called agents from law enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP, for its acronym in in English) and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
One of the witnesses was Iván Carrera, a DEA special agent who participated in the arrest of García Luna on December 9, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. Carrera said that he interviewed García Luna after his arrest, but that he was unable to record the conversation because the recording equipment was not working and García Luna later agreed to be interviewed without being recorded. He also pointed out that García Luna waived his right to have a lawyer present during the interrogation.
Carrera said that he asked García Luna if he had met with drug trafficking groups, if he had spoken on the phone with any of them, or if someone who worked for him had done so, and García Luna answered no, that he did not help them. drug traffickers, but fought against them.
Carrera acknowledged during the defense’s cross-examination that García Luna himself allowed his houses and electronic devices to be searched, and that he himself even gave the password to the authorities.
The Prosecutor’s Office also called George Dietz, special agent of the United States Department of Justice, who said that he recovered photographs of various properties, cars and a yacht that were on the phones and computers of the former Mexican official. The judge said that he will only accept this evidence if the Prosecutor’s Office can demonstrate with witnesses or documentation that the items belong to García Luna. Dietz will continue with his statement this Monday, after the recess that the court ordered until that day.
In the trial that takes place in New York, García Luna faces several charges of participation in an ongoing criminal enterprise and other charges of conspiracy to obtain, import and distribute thousands of kilograms of cocaine in the United States, in addition to allegedly making false statements to officials. Immigration Americans. The former official has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Mariana Coccaro contributed to the writing of this report.
