El Chapo Trial: Damaso “Licenciado” Nunez Lopez takes the stand

Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat

No lie: Chapo wears a red velvet blazer with a silk looking pocket square to court.  Emma wore a matching red blazer. 

Damaso Nunez Lopez aka Licenciado, is now on the stand giving testimony on behalf of the U.S. government.

The term “Licenciado” simply means a graduate, but in this case, Nunez studied law. The almost 63 year old was born in Sinaloa. 

He became a top chief of the prison administration by 1999.  He worked overseeing the maximum-security prison system, which included the Puente Grande Prison in Jalisco, where he met Chapo who was incarcerated there.

It was during the imprisonment of Chapo that the two became close in friendship and corruption.

Nunez formed a network of prison guards to accommodate Chapo’s needs, and Nunez was responsible for organizing Chapo’s infamous laundry cart escape on January 19, 2001.

To protect himself, he resigned his position at the prison two months before Chapo’s escape.  This caused a lowly maintenance worker nicknamed “Chito”, to take the brunt of blame.

Noteworthy: In Mexico it is not a crime to attempt or successfully escape from prison.  It is regarded as a natural instinct.  However, those in collusion are regarding as break the law.  In the case of Chapo’s tunnel escape over 20 were arrested, including the warden, yet all but 2 or 3 remain in prison as a trickle of those charged have gained freedom.  Most were high level personnel.

But in the case of Chito, he remains in prison with no freedom in sight.  He has been incarcerated for 10 years for arranging that laundry cart for Chapo’s flight to freedom.

Nunez joined the Sinaloa Cartel after Chapo’s escape and became Chapo’s right hand man and most trusted confidant.

When Chapo was arrested after his tunnel escape from Altiplano, Nunez, assumed he would take the reins.   He had established a strong criminal network himself, he attempted to consolidate the two factions of the cartel.  He began a violent bloody war against the sons of Chapo, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar.

But before he could fully consolidate, he was arrested in Mexico City.

Chapo’s sons gained then gained the upper hand against Nunez’ faction, including Nunez son known as “Mini lic”.

Mini Lic was literally running for his life when the decision was made to turn himself in to U.S. authorities for a plea.  Nunez was always thought to be apart of the deal making and it was suspected he would then agree to cooperate and testify again his former friend and boss, as part of a deal for both he and his son.

He was extradited to the United States on July 6, 2018.

Testimony

Court room spectators describe Nunez as tall, balding an seemingly arrogant.

He locked eyes with Chapo after being seated in the witness stand, giving him a nod while placing his fist over his heart.

Nunez claims he had nothing to with Chapo’s escape from Puente Grande prison.  He does admit to relatively benign assistance with helping him attain cell phones and clothes.  Also helping Chapo’s wife Gris visit him. 

It appears Nunez is not going to be as forthcoming as other CWs.

He says he worked for Chapo as a real estate broker, searching for and purchasing ranches and homes for Chapo. Then later as a “government relations liaison.

Meaning communications where "The govt would give us information regarding operations."

Explaining the escape, Nunez says only Chito helped Chapo. And that Chapo decided to make a break when he learned of the extradition filed by the U.S.

Nunez’ gives corruption testimony: He says he had two liaisons with the Mexican Army, Federal Police, AG office and the Marina., named “Javi” and “Roberto. Javi paid out $100K per month in bribes. Roberto paid out over $1 million per month.

Next were text messages between Chapo and Nunez, discussing the La Paz, PRI party BCS mayor. She was running for Governor in 2013 and asked for help from the cartel.  She also asked for their help in a assignation of aa policeman.

Chapo’s reply: “Yes. She is the favorite [meaning she would be governor]  and we should do her the favor. Maybe, when the cop is leaving his house as a revenge from some gangbanger. Don't be seen. Not with a rifle but with a pistol so it doesn't look violent."

Messages also referred to kilos of chemicals used to process and cut cocaine. He said the cartel was experimenting with "synthetic cocaine” and bringing in Colombian chemists to make it for them.

Nunez said  how Chapo's pilot once tried to fly a helicopter out of a warehouse and crashed in a wind gust. The warehouse was located on a former ostrich farm.  Chapo's pal Jorge Cifuentes later pushed it off a cliff for the insurance.

Nunez testified about  murders he says Chapo directed. One was his cousin Juancho.

Juancho

Chapo and Nunez were at a ranch in Culiacan when Chapo mentioned Juancho was supposed to be out of town, but Nunez said he was seen around.  Chapo was incensed, he ordered Juancho to be abducted and to be brought to the ranch. One of his employees, El Oso, kidnapped him in a public parking lot with Güero Bastida , another employee of the cartel.

Chapo's men arrived with Juancho, and Nunez said Chapo asked, "What is that rascal saying?" one of the abductors said; "Compadre, he offered me a lot of money to let him go."

Nunez says, "He ordered him to take him toward Culiacan and to kill him and leave him on the outskirts."

Chapo said the secretary knew everything about Juancho: "Therefore he had to suffer the same fate. They were both killed."

Israel Rincon Martinez el Guacho

The interrogation video of Israel Rincon Martinez was shown, who Nunez says worked for Chapo as a secretary, who allied with BLO when the split and war broke out between Sinaloa Cartel and BLO.

He was also accused of hiring hitmen to go after Chapo. In the video he is repeatedly asked about this. 

Chapo got a tip about Rincon being in Culiacán and ordered him kidnapped.  He was taken to a warehouse on Nunez’ ranch. That is where the video and interrogation commenced.  The voice in the video is that of Javi one of the liaisons previously mentioned.

Nunez said he heard Rincon/Guacho was later killed. He says Chapo told him this.

Other testimony notes:

Nunez says that  in 2004, "El Chapo " ordered the killing of Rodolfo Carrillo, brother of Amado Carrillo, because his assassins did not show him respect.

Carrillo and his wife were shot dead when leaving a movie theater, he explained. Pedro Perez, Carrillo's security chief, was also the chief of the police and immediately ordered, by radio, the help of federal agents. Lopez said so many police officers came to the scene that El Chapo asked his partner Ismael El Mayo  Zambada to ask his contacts in the federal police to order the the aents to disperse

He testified about the killing of Polo Ochoa, a drug trafficker close to "El Mayo" Zambada, who made an agreement with the Government to provide information on "El Chapo ". He was killed while in his truck with two others.  There were over 100 bullet casings left at the scene in 2012.[image at left]

The witness said that Chapo ordered the killing of Gonzalo Araujo Payán.  [Araujo, sicaro chief, was found dead at one of his homes in 2006.  His death ruled a suicide as there was a shot to the head and the weapon laying by his side]

Juancho was killed for lying about his location—As was his secretary because he knew about the lie.

Note:  At the beginning of the trial, Judge Brian Cogan asked the Prosecutor's Office not to focus on the alleged killings committed or ordered by Guzmán, since he is not being accused of homicide, but of drug trafficking.

Nunez claims to have received only 10 thousand dollars, a house valued at 1.5 million pesos and support in medical expenses for one of his children, who had an accident. This is very difficult to believe.  Nunez is the first CW to greatly downplay his role.

Gonzalito Araujo

The witness said: despite having been sentenced to life in the United States, he hopes that his collaboration in the case against the capo, will have him recommended for a sentence reduction.

Most of the testimony is redundant and one wonders again why a deal was made with Nunez.  Clearly it could have been done without. 

In a sidebar Judge Cogan asked the prosecution to reduce the number of redundant questions.

Nunez says in addition to Griselda’s visits-why she had to have clandestine visits was not said-also Nunez arranged visits from his brother-in-law, Marcelo Peña, and his brother Arturo.

Prosecutors may rest this week

Prosecutors say they many rest, as soon as Thursday.  If so, the defense will call their first witness on Monday as Fridays the courtroom is dark.

Below a translated and transcribed text convo between Chapo and Nunez:

   Text Messages Between El Chapo and Damaso Lopez by Chivis Martinez on Scribd

Video [BB has posted this subtitled video all on one vid I will look for it]

Here's a subtitled version of the Guacho interrogation video that was shown today in court. pic.twitter.com/xTCJYGFFfc

— Keegan Hamilton (@keegan_hamilton) January 22, 2019

Part 2 of the Guacho interrogation video w/ subtitles. pic.twitter.com/XSKiHRWw6K

— Keegan Hamilton (@keegan_hamilton) January 22, 2019