The third oral session has been extended for five hours and at the time of its departure the head of this journalist is working in vortex: “What the hell did the prosecution and the private prosecution want with what they saw today? With today's rehearsals, it's impossible for the defendants to be blamed. But nothing is impossible here. And then what? Put yourself in their place and maybe... you can't, you can't guess what's behind today."

But how to cast hypotheses is unavoidable, there are two occurrences: one, they follow behind the criminal group. Of course, this is one of the accusations, the most serious, logical to be behind it; two, they want to criminalize social movements against the environment. But in what way? Nothing has been seen beyond civil disobedience. Anyway, they haven't shown anything else, so they'll work with what they have.

There have been three very different sections on this third day, at least in terms of formats, since the background is often repeated. One, four forensics testify, and they're done in 20-25 minutes. They're all tiny nuances, but they've all worked in the same way: They were called to support the Civil Guard in the works that Palacio de Aroztegia SL had just launched, putting them in front of machines that prevented several citizens from working, and always in a peaceful way.

Everyone has said that they acted peacefully, “and sometimes they even had nice attitudes towards us,” said one foreman. However, the prosecutor was burned, insisting as usual on whether they saw violence: the fourth foreman said that when he was there they were peacefully protesting in front of the machine, while the prosecutor, “but were they peacefully protesting?”

The second section has also been divided into two parts: the mayor of Baztango and Lekaroz, respectively, has declared Joseba Igarabide and Ernesto Prat (both in Basque with the translator), the television camera Iñigo Urduña (Ahotsa.info) and the person in charge of Baztango Xaloa Television, Joseba Igerabide.

Looking for the criminal

Otondo was the mayor of Baztan from 2015 to 2023, and before Carpinteria and then what? Member of the association, from 2010 until the mayor's office. The defense’s questions have focused on two issues: one on the lack of authorization for the beginning of the works, which he has previously emphasized; and the other on the Carpentry and then what? of the association. As for the beginning of the works, Otondo says that the pliego assignment of the Carpinterian Palace was not adequate because the social section was not well. Since the Municipality of Baztan could not operate in this area of the assignment, the complaint was filed by a union [LAB] and the courts gave him a reason: “Then we asked for the works to be stopped, but we were not allowed to do so.” In the words of Otondo, in this case, Palacio de Aroztegua did not do what is usually done in such cases, the works that began had a bad pliego of conditions, they had enough to correct, but no, they appealed to him and took the risk, and he went against them. “The people in the valley were angry and surprised at the beginning of the works,” he concludes in this section.

Carpentry and then what? About the association. Otondo insists that the association was legal from the beginning, with all the demands it has, that it disappeared around 2021 and that it was not the only association that was fighting the Carpinteria in the valley, that there was a social debate and that in front of it many associations and people showed their opposition to the project. For the defence: “When you met with them, did you meet with Garbiñe Elizegi? No, also with many others, farmers, environmental agents...”.

After the defense, it was the turn of the private prosecution. In front of their interrogation, the former mayor looked like a criminal. “Do you know the defendants? Are you against the project? Carpentry and then what? Were you the founder of the group? Were you in the founding statutes? Your signature appears there! ".

And again about Garbine Elizegi. Particular accusation (AP): “Was he the president? Joseba Otondo (JO): Yes, but there have been many presidents. From the AP: So who ran the association? JO for: People come together and make decisions in a unified way. From the AP: And then who calls the meetings? JO for: For the last 20 years, this has been very common.”

Ernesto Prat's turn. Replying to a number of questions from the parties, he said that the protest rallies were held with the consent of the Spanish Government Delegation, with banners in front and reading a communiqué. He is also asked about José Mari Martín, a resident of the town and worker of the Palacio de Arozteguia. Prat did not see a sketch against him in front of his house – he lives about 80 meters away, with a belly in front of him – and no citizen has mentioned this to him. That Lekaroz is a small town and that he knows Martin, and that he has been with him lately in town meetings: “The last one was in the middle of last December-or, we met about 35 people, including José Mari, where we worked on this trial. He’s a regular participant and I don’t think he’s afraid.” And here the judge cuts: “What the witness thinks of his fear is irrelevant now.” It has been curious, because in the past few days the accusations have repeatedly asked the civil guards if José Mari himself and/or the machine workers were afraid, and the judge has never cut them off.

It's time for the private prosecution again. “The AP: The procedure in this case is the identified Agurtzane Orbegozo your sentimental partner? Was he punished? From the EP: Yeah, it's a couple. He appealed the fine and was stripped of it because it was not there where they said it and then. From the AP: Do you have any friendship with the defendants? From the EP: I know them. On January [days like this] 2022, were you in the village at a meeting against the Carpinteria project? From the EP: Being the mayor, maybe he is. From the AP: Are you and your partner? [photo shown]. From the EP: Oh, yeah, yeah. From the AP: You wrote Telleria, and then what? The book? Oh, yeah, yeah. [It is a black novel with facts of Baztan.] The applause, 2017)”.

The Media Shift

Iñigo Urduña explains that he was informed from Ahotsa.info that he had to go to Baztan, that he had visited the work area on April 9 and 19, and that in no case had he seen violence. What’s more, those who were protesting at one point offered flowers to the police, “it’s a common photo of the world.” He and a colleague were fined both for entering the construction site without permission and for being recorded by the police, “but when I entered I didn’t see any banning signs and the cops were wearing masks.”

They remind him that in one of the subtitles of one of the videos of Voz-info, Garbiñe Elizegi was mentioned as a spokesperson: “I put it, but I didn’t know him. I was documented in the newsroom and they told me so.” And the defense also asks him about the images of the videos made. “I go to the places, and I capture what I can to talk, in the usual, people don’t want to appear. And then, with the images recorded, and even if you need them for other days, I complete the video. I also use images of other people.”

Joseba Igerabide Xaloa, head of Televisión, mentions that he was not once at the site of the works, but the television journalist was. All images can be viewed on the website for anyone. He pointed out that the images in the videos can be from that day, but also from other days, “even, even from other TVs, this is very common in the TV world. The editor does what he can.” In another session he gave a long interview to Garbiñe Elizegi and asked why: “He was the mayor, we tried to hold a round table, discuss the issue equidistantly and listen to everyone’s opinions, but he came alone.”

After Igerabide, we paused for about ten minutes between ordering the videos that the prosecution and the private prosecution wanted to view.

Unfinished News Translations

These were videos from Ahotsa.info and, above all, from the Xaloa TV news, mostly from sit-ins in front of the machines, readings of the communiqués, street mobilizations and an interview (of 23 minutes) by Joseba Igerabide to Garbiñe Elizegi during the opening days of the work. It’s been great, but the worst part isn’t watching videos, this could be common in a program like this. It has been absolutely extraordinary that the translator has had to translate all the videos into Spanish, including Elizegi’s interview. It has been very surprising, because it is conceivable that the accusations should lead to housework carried out in the course of the investigation, and it would be sufficient if they were merely observed. The translator has also been put in a tight trap on several occasions, because he has had comedies in his mouth with masks of the Covid era and to do the translation of many who spoke with electronic sound, and some he has not been able to do, “I would need helmets and time”, he tells the judge. One of those videos I saw was the following one from Ahotsa.info: The works of the project Carpinteria de Lekaroz have been stopped

To conclude, the last candy of this Wednesday morning was supposed to go a little fast: the private prosecution wanted a video to be shown, but they were not ready or could not screen it for anything, and they have been looking and searching with the clerks of the court... seemingly exploring heaven and earth, for 20-25 minutes. In the meantime, everyone waited, discouraged, some drowned in heat: the machines behind the defense lawyers, for example, did not forgive. Finally, they find the gem and project it: well, an interview with LA LUZ!, Written interview of journalist Garazi Zabaleta with Lagunane Ariztegi and Garbiñe Elizegi during the days of the crusade! : "The crusade is a new format of the assembly and the work of the people." Two or three paragraphs and that's it, after today's session, have been returned to the interpreter, so that people can go out and get some air.

Now, whoever you want, take that interview, read it, and see where you see any hint of anything that might prove the defendants' guilt. What kind of glasses should be worn for this?

After 15:30 hours of fun, outside, as usual, the applause of the solidarity committee greeted the defendants warmly. Thursday will be their time, the turn of the defendants.