Sept. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Federal jurors in Miami heard secret recordings made by an FBI cooperating witness who touched off a Latin American election scandal when Argentine airport officials seized $800,000 in a suitcase he toted from Venezuela.

U.S. prosecutors say Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez wanted the cash, seized Aug. 4, 2007, to help fund the campaign of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who was elected Argentina's president Oct. 28. Jurors today heard the tapes, made by Guido Alejandro Antonini Wilson, at the trial of Venezuelan businessman Franklin Duran. He is accused of conspiring to keep Antonini silent about the source and destination of the cash.

Jurors heard discussions by Duran and Venezuelan lawyer Moises Maionica, who later pleaded guilty, imploring Antonini to withhold the truth to protect Fernandez. Antonini returned to Florida after the seizure and faced a cash-smuggling charge in Argentina.

``The truth can cost her the election,'' Maionica told Antonini in a conversation Antonini taped on Aug. 27, 2007, days after he began cooperating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ``The truth, it can become a scandal.''

Guilty Pleas

Duran, Maionica and two other South American men were arrested Dec. 11 and accused of conspiracy and acting as foreign agents in the United States without U.S. approval. Maionica and the other two pleaded guilty. Duran's trial began yesterday in a case that has drawn widespread attention in Venezuela and Argentina for its disclosures of the political cover-up.

Maionica told jurors he came to Florida on behalf of the Venezuelan intelligence agency, known as DISIP, after the seizure. He said Chavez assigned DISIP director Henry Rangel Silva to oversee the Antonini case. Rangel's boss, Tarek El Aissami, also was involved in the Antonini matter, Miaonica testified. El Aissami was appointed this week as Venezuela's interior minister.

In the first recorded meeting, at Jackson's Steakhouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Aug. 23, 2007, El Aissami called Duran's cell phone. Duran handed the phone to Antonini, who spoke to El Aissami.

``What about my problem in Venezuela, Tarek,'' Antonini said on the tape, with piano music playing in the background. ``My problem in Venezuela, can it be resolved?''

The tapes were recorded in Spanish and translated into English for jurors. Prosecutors played seven tapes today and will play more tomorrow when Maionica resumes his testimony.

On the tape, both Duran and Maionica urged Antonini to hire a lawyer in Argentina and give him power of attorney so he wouldn't have to go there and risk being jailed. Maionica told Antonini the Venezuelan government wanted Antonini ``to get out of your problem, and with no worries.''

`Venezuela's Best Interest'

A business partner of Duran's who was arrested and later pleaded guilty, Carlos Kauffmann, said on the tape: ``It's not in Venezuela's best interest for you to have a problem in Argentina.''

During the taped meeting on Aug. 27, Maionica told Antonini: ``Everybody in Venezuela is (expletive) afraid for you. They all want your mess resolved so the truth doesn't come out.''

Maionica testified that he told Antonini that Venezuela's state-owned energy company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, would pay his legal costs.

On Venezuelan state television today, Chavez called the trial a ``complete show,'' saying ``it has been bought.''

Ramirez Assistant

On the Aug. 27 tape, Duran said an assistant to PDVSA president Rafael Ramirez carried the cash onto the private plane that flew Antonini to Argentina with other company employees.

Duran also said to Antonini: ``You're recording me, right? Well, pal, I can ask. Just like you. But can't I ask you?''

On one taped phone call, Maionica called Antonini from DISIP's headquarters.

``I'm not sleeping,'' Antonini said on the call. ``I'm scared to death.''

Maionica told Antonini, the FBI cooperator, to relax.

Maionica also testified today that he, Duran and Duran's brother Pedro attended a meeting at DISIP headquarters on Dec. 4 to discuss Antonini.

Duran is charged with conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of the Venezuelan government. He faces as long as five years in prison on the conspiracy charge and 10 years on the other charge. He also might face deportation.

The case is U.S. v. Moises Maionica, 07-cr-20999, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (Miami).

To contact the reporters on this story: David Voreacos in federal court in Miami at dvoreacos@bloomberg.net; Carlyn Kolker in New York at ckolker@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 10, 2008 18:20 EDT