A moment of tension was experienced today during the breakdown of the trial of the Coral and Coral 5G operation between the major of the National Army, Raúl Alejandro Girón Jiménez and lawyer Ingrid Hidalgo Martínez when the accused refrained from answering some questions.
The lawyer appeared exasperated when Girón did not adhere to the guidelines she had established to respond: yes or no. In the same vein, the presiding magistrate Giselle Méndez reminded him that the accused could answer on his own terms.
For his part, Girón made gestures and responded as if the question seemed “tedious or boring” to him.
This was the scene involving Girón and the lawyer at the First Collegiate Tribunal of the National District where the structure of the “administrative corruption network” that allegedly defrauded the state continues to be examined:
Lawyer IH: Did you start at CESTUR (Central Directorate of Tourist Police) in the year 2005?
Girón: I never said that, honorable magistrate.
Lawyer IH: When did you start at CESTUR?
Girón: I am from the first class of Politur from the year 2001.
Lawyer IH: Who was the director of CESTUR in 2001?
Girón: General Lizardo… I don’t remember right now.
Lawyer IH: When did the withdrawals from CESTUR begin, according to your words, in what year?
Girón: As I already stated here, in the year 2005, when Colonel Rafael Núñez de Aza arrived.
Lawyer IH: And who was the director?
Girón: Honorable magistrate, I am not mentally prepared right now to give you a list of all the directors from the time of entry until the time of departure. I don’t remember.
Lawyer IH: Did the one you don’t remember know about the withdrawal of the funds?
Girón: I don’t know.
Lawyer IH: You don’t know?, weren’t you a main part of this withdrawal?
Girón: As I told you, that started that year with Colonel Rafael Núñez de Aza.
Lawyer IH: And with you too, yes or no?
Girón: From the beginning, honorable magistrate.
Lawyer IH: Did you work with the colonel at that time?
Girón: Colonel Rafael Núñez de Aza.
Lawyer IH: Yes or no, I’m only asking you, remember I said from the beginning, yes or no.
Girón: And I have the right to refuse to answer you and out of courtesy, I am responding: Colonel Rafael Núñez de Aza.
Lawyer IH: Yes or no, sir?
-Intervention of Magistrate Giselle Méndez-: The accused answers in whatever terms he wishes to respond; we must remember that this exercise he controls, directs, and extends.
Lawyer IH: Magistrate, we must clarify something, he has the right…
Magistrate Giselle Méndez: Next question.
Lawyer IH: Yes, but let me clarify something about why I am asking my question, because if you are also going to direct me on this issue of how I ask my question, then we are not getting anywhere, because he has already confessed, he has declared, he admitted, therefore, he is not guarding any state of innocence. He is not a witness; he admitted the facts.
Also read: LIVE: Girón continues to “sing.”
Magistrate Giselle Méndez: I ask you please to behave, and the accused declares and responds as he sees fit because that is the right recognized by the constitution, the criminal procedural code, and logically he can stop doing so whenever he wants.
Lawyer IH: Do you admit that you stole in 2001, yes or no?
Girón: I established and want to make it clear…
Lawyer IH: It’s yes or no; my question is yes or no.
Magistrate Giselle Méndez: Excuse me, lawyer, do not interrupt the accused while he answers; continue with your response.
Girón: And it is good, magistrate, that the person asking the question understands that I am not a fool, I established here that this started in the year 2005 with Colonel Rafael Núñez de Aza; at no time have I come here to say that in the year 2001 anything was happening.
In fact, in 2001 I wasn’t even on the payroll because I was in San Cristóbal, as one says: “on the ground with feet.”
Lawyer IH: Who was the director of CESTUR in 2006?
Girón: Next question, honorable magistrate.
Lawyer IH: Who was the director in 2007?
Girón: Next question.
Lawyer IH: In 2008?
Girón: That is on the internet if you want to look up who the director was in what year, next question.
Lawyer IH: 2009?
Girón: Next question.
Lawyer IH: Who was the director in 2010?
Girón: Next question.
Lawyer IH: Who was the director in 2011?
Girón: Magistrate, if that is the only question you have and apparently it is the only one, if you have no more, I abstain from answering.
In addition to lawyer Ingrid Hidalgo Martínez, other lawyers asked questions to Girón:
