Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 251287 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AEMR ASEC AMGT AE AS AMED AVIAN AU AF AORC AGENDA AO AR AM APER AFIN ATRN AJ ABUD ARABL AL AG AODE ALOW ADANA AADP AND APECO ACABQ ASEAN AA AFFAIRS AID AGR AY AGS AFSI AGOA AMB ARF ANET ASCH ACOA AFLU AFSN AMEX AFDB ABLD AESC AFGHANISTAN AINF AVIATION ARR ARSO ANDREW ASSEMBLY AIDS APRC ASSK ADCO ASIG AC AZ APEC AFINM ADB AP ACOTA ASEX ACKM ASUP ANTITERRORISM ADPM AINR ARABLEAGUE AGAO AORG AMTC AIN ACCOUNT ASECAFINGMGRIZOREPTU AIDAC AINT ARCH AMGTKSUP ALAMI AMCHAMS ALJAZEERA AVIANFLU AORD AOREC ALIREZA AOMS AMGMT ABDALLAH AORCAE AHMED ACCELERATED AUC ALZUGUREN ANGEL AORL ASECIR AMG AMBASSADOR AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL ADM ASES ABMC AER AMER ASE AMGTHA ARNOLDFREDERICK AOPC ACS AFL AEGR ASED AFPREL AGRI AMCHAM ARNOLD AN ANATO AME APERTH ASECSI AT ACDA ASEDC AIT AMERICA AMLB AMGE ACTION AGMT AFINIZ ASECVE ADRC ABER AGIT APCS AEMED ARABBL ARC ASO AIAG ACEC ASR ASECM ARG AEC ABT ADIP ADCP ANARCHISTS AORCUN AOWC ASJA AALC AX AROC ARM AGENCIES ALBE AK AZE AOPR AREP AMIA ASCE ALANAZI ABDULRAHMEN ABDULHADI AINFCY ARMS ASECEFINKCRMKPAOPTERKHLSAEMRNS AGRICULTURE AFPK AOCR ALEXANDER ATRD ATFN ABLG AORCD AFGHAN ARAS AORCYM AVERY ALVAREZ ACBAQ ALOWAR ANTOINE ABLDG ALAB AMERICAS AFAF ASECAFIN ASEK ASCC AMCT AMGTATK AMT APDC AEMRS ASECE AFSA ATRA ARTICLE ARENA AISG AEMRBC AFR AEIR ASECAF AFARI AMPR ASPA ASOC ANTONIO AORCL ASECARP APRM AUSTRALIAGROUP ASEG AFOR AEAID AMEDI ASECTH ASIC AFDIN AGUIRRE AUNR ASFC AOIC ANTXON ASA ASECCASC ALI AORCEUNPREFPRELSMIGBN ASECKHLS ASSSEMBLY ASECVZ AI ASECPGOV ASIR ASCEC ASAC ARAB AIEA ADMIRAL AUSGR AQ AMTG ARRMZY ANC APR AMAT AIHRC AFU ADEL AECL ACAO AMEMR ADEP AV AW AOR ALL ALOUNI AORCUNGA ALNEA ASC AORCO ARMITAGE AGENGA AGRIC AEM ACOAAMGT AGUILAR AFPHUM AMEDCASCKFLO AFZAL AAA ATPDEA ASECPHUM ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ETRD ETTC EU ECON EFIN EAGR EAID ELAB EINV ENIV ENRG EPET EZ ELTN ELECTIONS ECPS ET ER EG EUN EIND ECONOMICS EMIN ECIN EINT EWWT EAIR EN ENGR ES EI ETMIN EL EPA EARG EFIS ECONOMY EC EK ELAM ECONOMIC EAR ESDP ECCP ELN EUM EUMEM ECA EAP ELEC ECOWAS EFTA EXIM ETTD EDRC ECOSOC ECPSN ENVIRONMENT ECO EMAIL ECTRD EREL EDU ENERG ENERGY ENVR ETRAD EAC EXTERNAL EFIC ECIP ERTD EUC ENRGMO EINZ ESTH ECCT EAGER ECPN ELNT ERD EGEN ETRN EIVN ETDR EXEC EIAD EIAR EVN EPRT ETTF ENGY EAIDCIN EXPORT ETRC ESA EIB EAPC EPIT ESOCI ETRB EINDQTRD ENRC EGOV ECLAC EUR ELF ETEL ENRGUA EVIN EARI ESCAP EID ERIN ELAN ENVT EDEV EWWY EXBS ECOM EV ELNTECON ECE ETRDGK EPETEIND ESCI ETRDAORC EAIDETRD ETTR EMS EAGRECONEINVPGOVBN EBRD EUREM ERGR EAGRBN EAUD EFI ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ETRO ENRGY EGAR ESSO EGAD ENV ENER EAIDXMXAXBXFFR ELA EET EINVETRD EETC EIDN ERGY ETRDPGOV EING EMINCG EINVECON EURM EEC EICN EINO EPSC ELAP ELABPGOVBN EE ESPS ETRA ECONETRDBESPAR ERICKSON EEOC EVENTS EPIN EB ECUN EPWR ENG EX EH EAIDAR EAIS ELBA EPETUN ETRDEIQ EENV ECPC ETRP ECONENRG EUEAID EWT EEB EAIDNI ESENV EADM ECN ENRGKNNP ETAD ETR ECONETRDEAGRJA ETRG ETER EDUC EITC EBUD EAIF EBEXP EAIDS EITI EGOVSY EFQ ECOQKPKO ETRGY ESF EUE EAIC EPGOV ENFR EAGRE ENRD EINTECPS EAVI ETC ETCC EIAID EAIDAF EAGREAIDPGOVPRELBN EAOD ETRDA EURN EASS EINVA EAIDRW EON ECOR EPREL EGPHUM ELTM ECOS EINN ENNP EUPGOV EAGRTR ECONCS ETIO ETRDGR EAIDB EISNAR EIFN ESPINOSA EAIDASEC ELIN EWTR EMED ETFN ETT EADI EPTER ELDIN EINVEFIN ESS ENRGIZ EQRD ESOC ETRDECD ECINECONCS EAIT ECONEAIR ECONEFIN EUNJ ENRGKNNPMNUCPARMPRELNPTIAEAJMXL ELAD EFIM ETIC EFND EFN ETLN ENGRD EWRG ETA EIN EAIRECONRP EXIMOPIC ERA ENRGJM ECONEGE ENVI ECHEVARRIA EMINETRD EAD ECONIZ EENG ELBR EWWC ELTD EAIDMG ETRK EIPR EISNLN ETEX EPTED EFINECONCS EPCS EAG ETRDKIPR ED EAIO ETRDEC ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ERNG EFINU EURFOR EWWI ELTNSNAR ETD EAIRASECCASCID EOXC ESTN EAIDAORC EAGRRP ETRDEMIN ELABPHUMSMIGKCRMBN ETRDEINVTINTCS EGHG EAIDPHUMPRELUG EAGRBTIOBEXPETRDBN EDA EPETPGOV ELAINE EUCOM EMW EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM ELB EINDETRD EMI ETRDECONWTOCS EINR ESTRADA EHUM EFNI ELABV ENR EMN EXO EWWTPRELPGOVMASSMARRBN EATO END EP EINVETC ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID ELTRN EIQ ETTW EAI ENGRG ETRED ENDURING ETTRD EAIDEGZ EOCN EINF EUPREL ENRL ECPO ENLT EEFIN EPPD ECOIN EUEAGR EISL EIDE ENRGSD EINVECONSENVCSJA EAIG ENTG EEPET EUNCH EPECO ETZ EPAT EPTE EAIRGM ETRDPREL EUNGRSISAFPKSYLESO ETTN EINVKSCA ESLCO EBMGT ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EFLU ELND EFINOECD EAIDHO EDUARDO ENEG ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EFINTS ECONQH ENRGPREL EUNPHUM EINDIR EPE EMINECINECONSENVTBIONS EFINM ECRM EQ EWWTSP ECONPGOVBN
KFLO KPKO KDEM KFLU KTEX KMDR KPAO KCRM KIDE KN KNNP KG KMCA KZ KJUS KWBG KU KDMR KAWC KCOR KPAL KOMC KTDB KTIA KISL KHIV KHUM KTER KCFE KTFN KS KIRF KTIP KIRC KSCA KICA KIPR KPWR KWMN KE KGIC KGIT KSTC KACT KSEP KFRD KUNR KHLS KCRS KRVC KUWAIT KVPR KSRE KMPI KMRS KNRV KNEI KCIP KSEO KITA KDRG KV KSUM KCUL KPET KBCT KO KSEC KOLY KNAR KGHG KSAF KWNM KNUC KMNP KVIR KPOL KOCI KPIR KLIG KSAC KSTH KNPT KINL KPRP KRIM KICC KIFR KPRV KAWK KFIN KT KVRC KR KHDP KGOV KPOW KTBT KPMI KPOA KRIF KEDEM KFSC KY KGCC KATRINA KWAC KSPR KTBD KBIO KSCI KRCM KNNB KBNC KIMT KCSY KINR KRAD KMFO KCORR KW KDEMSOCI KNEP KFPC KEMPI KBTR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNPP KTTB KTFIN KBTS KCOM KFTN KMOC KOR KDP KPOP KGHA KSLG KMCR KJUST KUM KMSG KHPD KREC KIPRTRD KPREL KEN KCSA KCRIM KGLB KAKA KWWT KUNP KCRN KISLPINR KLFU KUNC KEDU KCMA KREF KPAS KRKO KNNC KLHS KWAK KOC KAPO KTDD KOGL KLAP KECF KCRCM KNDP KSEAO KCIS KISM KREL KISR KISC KKPO KWCR KPFO KUS KX KWCI KRFD KWPG KTRD KH KLSO KEVIN KEANE KACW KWRF KNAO KETTC KTAO KWIR KVCORR KDEMGT KPLS KICT KWGB KIDS KSCS KIRP KSTCPL KDEN KLAB KFLOA KIND KMIG KPPAO KPRO KLEG KGKG KCUM KTTP KWPA KIIP KPEO KICR KNNA KMGT KCROM KMCC KLPM KNNPGM KSIA KSI KWWW KOMS KESS KMCAJO KWN KTDM KDCM KCM KVPRKHLS KENV KCCP KGCN KCEM KEMR KWMNKDEM KNNPPARM KDRM KWIM KJRE KAID KWMM KPAONZ KUAE KTFR KIF KNAP KPSC KSOCI KCWI KAUST KPIN KCHG KLBO KIRCOEXC KI KIRCHOFF KSTT KNPR KDRL KCFC KLTN KPAOKMDRKE KPALAOIS KESO KKOR KSMT KFTFN KTFM KDEMK KPKP KOCM KNN KISLSCUL KFRDSOCIRO KINT KRG KWMNSMIG KSTCC KPAOY KFOR KWPR KSEPCVIS KGIV KSEI KIL KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KQ KEMS KHSL KTNF KPDD KANSOU KKIV KFCE KTTC KGH KNNNP KK KSCT KWNN KAWX KOMCSG KEIM KTSD KFIU KDTB KFGM KACP KWWMN KWAWC KSPA KGICKS KNUP KNNO KISLAO KTPN KSTS KPRM KPALPREL KPO KTLA KCRP KNMP KAWCK KCERS KDUM KEDM KTIALG KWUN KPTS KPEM KMEPI KAWL KHMN KCRO KCMR KPTD KCROR KMPT KTRF KSKN KMAC KUK KIRL KEM KSOC KBTC KOM KINP KDEMAF KTNBT KISK KRM KWBW KBWG KNNPMNUC KNOP KSUP KCOG KNET KWBC KESP KMRD KEBG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KPWG KOMCCO KRGY KNNF KPROG KJAN KFRED KPOKO KM KWMNCS KMPF KJWC KJU KSMIG KALR KRAL KDGOV KPA KCRMJA KCRI KAYLA KPGOV KRD KNNPCH KFEM KPRD KFAM KALM KIPRETRDKCRM KMPP KADM KRFR KMWN KWRG KTIAPARM KTIAEUN KRDP KLIP KDDEM KTIAIC KWKN KPAD KDM KRCS KWBGSY KEAI KIVP KPAOPREL KUNH KTSC KIPT KNP KJUSTH KGOR KEPREL KHSA KGHGHIV KNNR KOMH KRCIM KWPB KWIC KINF KPER KILS KA KNRG KCSI KFRP KLFLO KFE KNPPIS KQM KQRDQ KERG KPAOPHUM KSUMPHUM KVBL KARIM KOSOVO KNSD KUIR KWHG KWBGXF KWMNU KPBT KKNP KERF KCRT KVIS KWRC KVIP KTFS KMARR KDGR KPAI KDE KTCRE KMPIO KUNRAORC KHOURY KAWS KPAK KOEM KCGC KID KVRP KCPS KIVR KBDS KWOMN KIIC KTFNJA KARZAI KMVP KHJUS KPKOUNSC KMAR KIBL KUNA KSA KIS KJUSAF KDEV KPMO KHIB KIRD KOUYATE KIPRZ KBEM KPAM KDET KPPD KOSCE KJUSKUNR KICCPUR KRMS KWMNPREL KWMJN KREISLER KWM KDHS KRV KPOV KWMNCI KMPL KFLD KWWN KCVM KIMMITT KCASC KOMO KNATO KDDG KHGH KRF KSCAECON KWMEN KRIC
PREL PINR PGOV PHUM PTER PE PREF PARM PBTS PINS PHSA PK PL PM PNAT PHAS PO PROP PGOVE PA PU POLITICAL PPTER POL PALESTINIAN PHUN PIN PAMQ PPA PSEC POLM PBIO PSOE PDEM PAK PF PKAO PGOVPRELMARRMOPS PMIL PV POLITICS PRELS POLICY PRELHA PIRN PINT PGOG PERSONS PRC PEACE PROCESS PRELPGOV PROV PFOV PKK PRE PT PIRF PSI PRL PRELAF PROG PARMP PERL PUNE PREFA PP PGOB PUM PROTECTION PARTIES PRIL PEL PAGE PS PGO PCUL PLUM PIF PGOVENRGCVISMASSEAIDOPRCEWWTBN PMUC PCOR PAS PB PKO PY PKST PTR PRM POUS PRELIZ PGIC PHUMS PAL PNUC PLO PMOPS PHM PGOVBL PBK PELOSI PTE PGOVAU PNR PINSO PRO PLAB PREM PNIR PSOCI PBS PD PHUML PERURENA PKPA PVOV PMAR PHUMCF PUHM PHUH PRELPGOVETTCIRAE PRT PROPERTY PEPFAR PREI POLUN PAR PINSF PREFL PH PREC PPD PING PQL PINSCE PGV PREO PRELUN POV PGOVPHUM PINRES PRES PGOC PINO POTUS PTERE PRELKPAO PRGOV PETR PGOVEAGRKMCAKNARBN PPKO PARLIAMENT PEPR PMIG PTBS PACE PETER PMDL PVIP PKPO POLMIL PTEL PJUS PHUMNI PRELKPAOIZ PGOVPREL POGV PEREZ POWELL PMASS PDOV PARN PG PPOL PGIV PAIGH PBOV PETROL PGPV PGOVL POSTS PSO PRELEU PRELECON PHUMPINS PGOVKCMABN PQM PRELSP PRGO PATTY PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PGVO PROTESTS PRELPLS PKFK PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PARAGRAPH PRELGOV POG PTRD PTERM PBTSAG PHUMKPAL PRELPK PTERPGOV PAO PRIVATIZATION PSCE PPAO PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PARALYMPIC PRUM PKPRP PETERS PAHO PARMS PGREL PINV POINS PHUMPREL POREL PRELNL PHUMPGOV PGOVQL PLAN PRELL PARP PROVE PSOC PDD PRELNP PRELBR PKMN PGKV PUAS PRELTBIOBA PBTSEWWT PTERIS PGOVU PRELGG PHUMPRELPGOV PFOR PEPGOV PRELUNSC PRAM PICES PTERIZ PREK PRELEAGR PRELEUN PHUME PHU PHUMKCRS PRESL PRTER PGOF PARK PGOVSOCI PTERPREL PGOVEAID PGOVPHUMKPAO PINSKISL PREZ PGOVAF PARMEUN PECON PINL POGOV PGOVLO PIERRE PRELPHUM PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PBST PKPAO PHUMHUPPS PGOVPOL PASS PPGOV PROGV PAGR PHALANAGE PARTY PRELID PGOVID PHUMR PHSAQ PINRAMGT PSA PRELM PRELMU PIA PINRPE PBTSRU PARMIR PEDRO PNUK PVPR PINOCHET PAARM PRFE PRELEIN PINF PCI PSEPC PGOVSU PRLE PDIP PHEM PRELB PORG PGGOC POLG POPDC PGOVPM PWMN PDRG PHUMK PINB PRELAL PRER PFIN PNRG PRED POLI PHUMBO PHYTRP PROLIFERATION PHARM PUOS PRHUM PUNR PENA PGOVREL PETRAEUS PGOVKDEM PGOVENRG PHUS PRESIDENT PTERKU PRELKSUMXABN PGOVSI PHUMQHA PKISL PIR PGOVZI PHUMIZNL PKNP PRELEVU PMIN PHIM PHUMBA PUBLIC PHAM PRELKPKO PMR PARTM PPREL PN PROL PDA PGOVECON PKBL PKEAID PERM PRELEZ PRELC PER PHJM PGOVPRELPINRBN PRFL PLN PWBG PNG PHUMA PGOR PHUMPTER POLINT PPEF PKPAL PNNL PMARR PAC PTIA PKDEM PAUL PREG PTERR PTERPRELPARMPGOVPBTSETTCEAIRELTNTC PRELJA POLS PI PNS PAREL PENV PTEROREP PGOVM PINER PBGT PHSAUNSC PTERDJ PRELEAID PARMIN PKIR PLEC PCRM PNET PARR PRELETRD PRELBN PINRTH PREJ PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEMEX PRELZ PFLP PBPTS PTGOV PREVAL PRELSW PAUM PRF PHUMKDEM PATRICK PGOVKMCAPHUMBN PRELA PNUM PGGV PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PIND PTEP PTERKS PGOVJM PGOT PRELMARR PGOVCU PREV PREFF PRWL PET PROB PRELPHUMP PHUMAF PVTS PRELAFDB PSNR PGOVECONPRELBU PGOVZL PREP PHUMPRELBN PHSAPREL PARCA PGREV PGOVDO PGON PCON PODC PRELOV PHSAK PSHA PGOVGM PRELP POSCE PGOVPTER PHUMRU PINRHU PARMR PGOVTI PPEL PMAT PAN PANAM PGOVBO PRELHRC

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 04PANAMA1015, PANAMA: WHO IS PRESIDENT-ELECT MARTIN TORRIJOS AND

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #04PANAMA1015.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
04PANAMA1015 2004-05-03 02:48 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Panama
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PANAMA 001015 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA/CEN/BRIGHAM, INR/B, AND OPS CENTER 
NSC FOR TOM SHANNON 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2014 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL PM POLITICS FOREIGN POLICY
SUBJECT: PANAMA: WHO IS PRESIDENT-ELECT MARTIN TORRIJOS AND 
HOW WILL HE GOVERN? 
 
REF: A. 03 PANAMA 3173 
     B. PANAMA 0145 
     C. PANAMA 0205 
     D. PANAMA 0802 
     E. PANAMA 1014 
 
 
Classified By: DCM Christopher J. McMullen for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) 
 
 
SUMMARY: MARTIN TORRIJOS WINS MAY 2 GENERAL ELECTIONS 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 

1. (SBU) At 7:35 p.m. local time (8:35 p.m. Washington time), 
Panama's Electoral Tribunal declared Martin Erasto Torrijos 
Espino the winner of Panama's May 2, 2004 General Elections. 
It appeared that voter participation would exceed 75%. 
Torrijos' five-year term as President will commence September 
1, 2004.  Torrijos' Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) 
joined forces with its historical opponent, the Popular Party 
(PP) to propel him to victory.  Torrijos has surrounded 
himself with young, primarily US-educated professionals like 
himself and has changed the face of the PRD by marginalizing 
"old guard" supporters of former President Ernesto Perez 
Balladares (1994-99).  Torrijos is a little-known quantity in 
governing style, largely because his government experience is 
minimal.  Torrijos and those closest to him have shown strong 
indications that they intend to work closely with U.S. 
officials, especially on security, law enforcement, trade and 
investment.  Torrijos is married and has three children.  His 
wife, the former Vivian Fernandez Bello, whose parents were 
born in Cuba, is a successful professional woman in public 
relations.  Like her husband, Mrs. Torrijos speaks English 
well.  End Summary. 
 
 
PERSONAL BACKGROUND 
------------------- 

2.  (SBU) The son of former Panamanian dictator Omar Torrijos 
and Xenia Espino, a former Air Panama flight attendant who 
was not Omar's wife, Martin Torrijos was born on July 18, 
1963.  Torrijos' maternal grandparents raised him during his 
early years in the town of Chitre, 251 km. west of Panama 
City in Herrera Province since his mother traveled often for 
work.  At approximately age 12, Torrijos moved to a Panama 
City apartment with his mother.  Torrijos has publicly 
praised his mother and maternal grandparents for raising him. 
 
 
3.  (SBU) Omar Torrijos only recognized Martin Torrijos as 
his son when he was in his teens, and sent him to St. John's 
Military Academy in Wisconsin to attend high school with his 
half-brother Omar Jr., under the "parental" supervision of 
Colon-born business Cirilo McSween, who later "adopted" 
Martin and Omar after their father's 1981 death in a plane 
crash.  Torrijos, who spent ages 15-29 (1978-1992) mostly in 
the United States, earned bachelors degrees from Texas A&M in 
political science (1986) and economics (1988).  During 
1989-91, before Ernesto Perez Balladares (EPB) called 
Torrijos back to Panama to help reorganize the PRD in 1992, 
Torrijos helped manage several McDonald's franchises owned by 
McSween's Cirilo Incorporated, as well as insurance and 
banking interests in the Chicago area. 
 
 
4.  (C) Torrijos is a quiet deliberator who has only recently 
come out of his shell as a decisive leader.  Many interpret 
his reserve as a sign that he lacks substance and is easy 
prey for manipulation.  Torrijos, who considers himself a 
"self-made man," is exceedingly self-conscious about giving 
the appearance that others maintain or manipulate him. 
Opponents' probes during the campaign regarding the source of 
Torrijos' personal wealth angered him greatly because he 
understood that they sought to "prove" the supposition that 
he owes all of his wealth to proceeds of Panama's corrupt 
21-year dictatorship.  Torrijos' Campaign finance manager 
Ubaldino Real, who met him at Texas A & M, noted that 
Torrijos' reluctance or inability to describe his assets and 
business interests tends to exacerbate rumors of ill-gotten 
wealth by making it appear that he is trying to hide 
something. 
 
 
5.  (C) Martin Torrijos married Vivian Fernandez Bello, whose 
parents are Cuban, in 1990.  They have three children, 
Daniella, Martin Jr., and Nicolas.  Vivian has a successful 
public relations firm, but has stated that she will take time 
off to support Martin's five-year presidency.  Both Martin 
and Vivian have a profound interest in programs to assist the 
handicapped.  Their ten-year-old daughter Daniella has 
spastic cerebral palsy, but thanks to the best medical care 
available, she has developed only slightly slower than other 
children her age. 

POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE 
------------------------------- 

6.  (SBU) After officially registering with the PRD on May 
14, 1993, Martin became PRD Youth Committee chairman in 1994. 
 When EPB became president in 1994, he named Martin as Vice 
Minister of Government and Justice.  Torrijos kept a low 
profile as Vice Minister, which led his opponents to 
criticize his apparent lack of governing experience, 
particularly during the recent campaign.   While 
Vice-Minister during EPB's 1994-99 term Torrijos also served 
on the Board of Directors of several government entities, 
including the now-privatized Civil Aviation Authority and 
state-owned telephone utility INTEL, and the Prison 
Modernization Commission. 
 
 
7.  (SBU) After EPB lost a 1998 referendum to permit him to 
run for another term, Martin competed against and defeated 
current Panama City Mayor Juan Carlos Navarro and several 
others for the PRD's 1999 presidential nomination.  Viewing 
Martin as the least threatening to his future prospects, EPB 
grudgingly made way for Torrijos' 1999 run for president. 
Rumors have circulated for over a year in Panama that EPB, 
eyeing a 2009 comeback for himself, even surreptitiously 
backed Torrijos opponent Guillermo Endara. 
 
 
8.  (SBU) Since his May 1999 loss to Mireya Moscoso, 
Torrijos' sole purpose was winning the presidency in 2004. 
When Torrijos (38% of vote) lost the 1999 election to Moscoso 
(44% of vote), he dedicated himself full time to recruiting 
new PRD Members and consolidating his control over the party. 
 Some of Torrijos' closest associates have estimated that up 
to half of the PRD's 474,000 registered voters as of January 
2004 joined the party to follow him.  Regardless of the exact 
figure, Torrijos has tremendous appeal with Panamanian youth 
and has managed to break some of the anti-PRD stigma, 
particularly with those who are too young to remember the 
harder years of Panama's 1968-89 military dictatorship. 
 
 
LIKELY POLICIES 
--------------- 

9.  (SBU) In addition to "yes we can," Torrijos' campaign 
mantra was "more jobs, more security, zero corruption." 
Torrijos has proposed creating jobs by "revitalizing" 
export-capable economic sectors, such as agriculture and 
manufacturing; increasing productivity and competitiveness 
(through training, education, and investment in 
infrastructure); prioritizing tourism, maritime services and 
ports, transport, fisheries, communications, and financial 
services such as "growth industries"; concluding a 
Panama-U.S. free trade agreement; and rationalizing public 
finances, reducing regulations, and completing the 
Colon-Panama highway.  First Vice President-elect Samuel 
Lewis Navarro has asserted that a U.S.-Panama bilateral Free 
Trade Agreement (FTA) is about investment, not trade.  He 
touted the FTA for its positive effects on procurement and 
contracting as the main lever to get foreign financing for 
Canal expansion, which will be the biggest infrastructure 
project in the Hemisphere. 
 
 
10.  (C) Martin Torrijos made platform proposals on public 
security (delinquency and criminal behavior) and national 
security (protecting Panama's borders and Canal).  Torrijos 
said his platform will include six areas on which his 
administration would focus to improve overall security: (1) 
social and education programs, (2) Public Force (PPF) 
structural reforms, (3) administration of justice efficiency, 
(4) prison system improvements, (5) territorial and border 
security and (6) civil society participation.  Torrijos has 
his pick of trained security professionals from the 
now-defunct Panamanian Defense Forces who can help him 
structure his plans, and he has reached out to the Embassy as 
a potential partner in advancing some areas of mutual 
interest. 
 
 
11.  (C) Torrijos will have to back up his pledge to reduce 
corruption with concrete action, beginning with the selection 
of individuals with solid reputations to serve in key 
positions.  The prior PRD administration under EPB was 
notably corrupt and after five years out of power, PRD 
stalwarts are hungry for power and its perquisites, observers 
say.  Torrijos' first cousin, Hugo Torrijos, until recently 
Torrijos' campaign manager and finance chief, is heavily 
implicated in a multi-million dollar scandal involving Ports 
Engineering and Construction Company (PECC), but remains 
close to him.  Many observers think that Torrijos himself may 
be implicated in the multi-million dollar CEMIS scandal 
(although we have not seen any evidence yet to support those 
allegations).  Torrijos skillfully handled the PRD primaries, 
but opponents have criticized him for promising government 
jobs to primary losers to keep them in the party.  Embassy is 
looking forward to seeing how well Torrijos keeps his promise 
to revitalize the government transparency law by eliminating 
President Moscoso's restrictive implementing decree, which 
effectively gutted the law. 
 
 
KEY CHALLENGE: STRUGGLE WITHIN THE PRD 
-------------------------------------- 

12.  (C) An internal PRD struggle for positions and influence 
in a new government may quickly become Torrijos' first major 
challenge.  Several sources close to Torrijos insist that he 
held off showing his cards on key job assignments in a 
Torrijos government, believing that his likely decisions 
would anger Perez Balladares supporters and others of the old 
guard.  Although the Torrijos inner circle is comfortable 
shutting out the old guard after election day, many have 
insisted that Torrijos would owe political "debts" to them. 
 
 
13.  (C) The emergence of young leaders like Torrijos has not 
purged the PRD of its "old guard" or followers of former 
President Ernesto Perez Balladares (1994-99), but it has 
rejuvenated party membership and offers much better examples 
to follow.  Like his closest friends, his running mates (See 
Septel), and advisors, Torrijos is a US-educated modernist, 
well-versed in doing business with Americans.  In fact, 
Torrijos has cast himself as "Panama's Tony Blair," a free 
market liberal with strong social conscience.  If "change 
comes from the top" in Panama's top-down political structure, 
his leadership could greatly improve US-Panama relations in 
the long run by improving governance in Panama.  But much 
will depend on the durability of his resolve to change, and 
how well he can keep the "old guard" at bay in the 
post-election scramble for plum positions in the next 
government. 
WATT