This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PANAMA 000465 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN/BRIGHAM 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PM POL SPECIALIST
SUBJECT: LA DONA HITS PANAMA'S AIRWAVES. PANAMA ELECTION 
COUNTDOWN #4:  9 WEEKS TO GO 
 
REF: A. PANAMA 0076 
     ¶B. PANAMA 0352 
     ¶C. PANAMA 0417 
 
 
Fifth ballot refuses to die 
--------------------------- 
¶1.  (U) While a political cartoon in a Panama daily 
depicted the fifth ballot's funeral, civil society refused 
to let the issue rest in peace.  Criticism abounded in the 
wake of last week's Electoral Tribunal (ET) and Executive 
Branch insistence on not issuing a fifth ballot on 
constitutional reforms in the May 2004 elections.  Both 
1999 President of the National Counting Board Ricardo 
Lombana and widely known union leader Mariano Mena have 
attacked that decision and questioned the costs entailed by 
holding a future referendum on the issue versus issuing a 
fifth ballot this May.  Maribel Jaen, Executive Director of 
the Catholic Church's Peace and Justice Commission, appears 
resigned to the fifth ballot's demise, at least for this 
May.  Nonetheless, she asserted that regardless of the 
estimated $6 million cost, Panamanians deserve the 
opportunity to decide the issue of constitutional reform 
through a referendum.  Noting the millions of dollars that 
the GOP spent to promote last year's Miss Universe Pageant 
in Panama, Jaen insisted that the cost would be justified. 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Civil society pressure led prominent Arnulfista 
legislator Jose Blandon Jr. to announce his willingness to 
consider constitutional reforms as proposed by opposition 
PRD-PP alliance.  Blandon said he is willing to follow 
Article 308 of Panama's constitution provided that certain 
amendments are made to the proposed bill. (See Reftel A.) 
Blandon insists that the bill include changes in the 
procedure for appointing the Attorney General and the 
Solicitor General, two officials that the next President 
will appoint.  Observers have noted that Blandon's move 
allows the Arnulfistas a certain peace of mind even if PRD 
frontrunner Martin Torrijos wins the May 2 election. 
Ironically, the Arnulfistas initially criticized the PRD-PP 
bill, proposing a fifth ballot instead.  Perceiving the 
Legislative Assembly as entirely corrupt, civil society 
groups do not want that entity to make constitutional 
reforms. 
 
 
"La Dona" 
--------- 
¶3.  (U) Flying in the face of conventional wisdom that 
"nothing happens before Carnival", well-known publicist, 
songwriter and singer Pedrito Altamiranda rocked Panama's 
political calm before the 5-day Carnival holiday with his 
wildly popular new tune, "La Dona."  Panamanians refer to 
President Moscoso as "La Dona" ("the stately old lady"). 
With lilting, highly danceable rhythm and biting humor 
Altamiranda satirizes Moscoso's trips overseas, lavish 
parties, love life, and contested Supreme Court 
appointments, among other things.  Though he has not 
released his new CD, Altamiranda lent the song over the 
weekend of February 14-15 to a radio station popular among 
Panama's youth.  After two days, "La Dona" became the most 
requested song ever. 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The GOP has not officially censored the song, but 
DJs at the radio station revealed that the station's owners 
instructed them to stop playing it.  Evidently the station 
does not want to lose revenue if Arnulfista presidential 
candidate Jose Miguel Aleman were to pull his political 
advertisements.  Altamiranda paid a price too.  Panama's 
Tourism Institute (IPAT) had decided at the end of 2003 
that cancer victim Altamiranda would be honored during the 
official Carnival Queen's crowning ceremony; however, at 
the last minute, the organizers removed Altamiranda from 
the program.  Carnival Commission authorities and 
Altamiranda both deny that the change was due to the song, 
but a presidential staffer confided that Moscoso's office 
had placed a call to IPAT questioning their decision to 
honor Altamiranda. 
 
 
Candidates take it easy during Carnival week 
-------------------------------------------- 
¶5.  (U) Campaign activities dropped as expected during 
Carnival week when everyone in Panama City heads for the 
provinces to "carnavalear."  Cambio Democratico Candidate 
Ricardo Martinelli, with a recent death in the family, 
decided to stay away from politics and carnival festivities 
this week.  Solidarity candidate Guillermo Endara announced 
that he and his family would attend a religious retreat, 
but warned he would come back next week with a strong anti- 
corruption campaign.  Arnulfista candidate Jose Miguel 
Aleman announced that he would spend time with his family 
and attend a popular Ash Wednesday Catholic mass in Las 
Tablas.  Campaign frontrunner, Revolutionary Democratic 
Party (PRD) Candidate Martin Torrijos spent a couple of 
days at a beach house, but also visited several towns to 
take advantage of the crowds and sponsored the very popular 
water trucks to entertain the people during Carnival 
festivities.  Torrijos was the most active of all the 
candidates. 
 
 
Presidential ballots ready 
-------------------------- 
¶6.  (U) Electoral Tribunal officers announced that the 
first draft of the presidential ballot has been printed. 
Once the Electoral Magistrates clear the text, the print 
shop will proceed to print the final version.  This 
announcement allows the Electoral Tribunal to publicly 
confirm that Panama's electoral process is on schedule. 
 
 
Call to submit blank votes 
-------------------------- 
¶7.  (U) In an unexpected announcement, a previously unknown 
leftist group calling itself the "Unified Popular Movement" 
(MPU) has urged Panamanians to submit blank ballots during 
the May 2 elections or void their votes by selecting more 
than one candidate.  Allegedly, MPU members are national 
university student leaders and professors, as well as 
workers.  MPU organizers insist that none of the candidates 
will fulfill their electoral promises and have criticized 
all of them.  Former President Endara, MPU charged was a 
puppet of then US Ambassador to Panama Deane Hinton during 
his 1989-2004 presidency.  MPU criticized PRD-PP Martin 
Torrijos for his allegedly poor performance as Vice 
Minister of Government and Justice under the Perez 
Balladares administration and his role in telephone and 
electricity privatization.  MPU referred to Arnulfista 
candidate Jose Miguel Aleman's government plan as a 
continuation of the current GOP.  Finally, MPU criticized 
Cambio Democratico Candidate Ricardo Martinelli for having 
served in PRD and Arnulfista administrations. 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) MPU's call spurred an immediate reaction by PRD- 
PP Martin Torrijo's First Vice Presidential candidate 
Samuel Lewis Navarro and another Torrijos supporter, former 
President of the Panamanian Chamber of Commerce, Manuel 
Jose Paredes.  Both criticized MPU's position as 
irresponsible and encouraged people to study the 
candidates' platforms and to make an informed decision. 
Historically, the PRD has had links with leftist groups in 
Panama and even has a leftist wing within the party. 
Observers have noted that the firm responses from Lewis 
Navarro and Paredes, neither of them old guard PRD, 
illustrate differences among Torrijos' personal followers 
and party followers.