VZCZCXYZ0024
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHZP #0991 1641357
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131357Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0601
INFO RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC
RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA 0587
RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 1840

UNCLAS PANAMA 000991 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR KJUS MCAP PM
SUBJECT: NAS PANAMA MONTHLY REPORT AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS: APRIL AND 
MAY 2007 
 
 
¶1.  (U) This cable provides a brief overview of NAS/Panama 
activities and major law enforcement and counternarcotics 
developments during the months of April and May, 2007. 
 
Arrest of Former SMN Director 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) In May, Panama's Attorney General (AG) Office arrested 
former National Maritime Service (SMN, navy equivalent) director 
Ricardo Traad Porras on charges of corruption, illegal enrichment, 
and conspiracy.  The arrest is a major anti-corruption move on the 
part of Panama, and was something the Embassy had advocated for some 
time.  NAS assistance provided essential support for the drug 
prosecutors (as well as DEA staff) to travel to the U.S. to attain 
important evidence. 
 
Visit of Embassy Managua Legal Advisor 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) In April, NAS facilitated the visit to Panama of AmEmbassy 
Managua resident legal advisor Fernando Groene.  Groene met with key 
Embassy staff and top officials of the AG in order to draft a list 
of recommended changes to Panama's draft legal reforms to the 
criminal procedure code.  We continue to work with Groene to develop 
a coordinated plan of advice/assistance to Panama on this key 
pending reform.  Our foremost goal is that the new criminal 
procedure code enable Panama to effectively prosecute drug-related 
offenders. 
 
Police Modernization Program 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Our continuing police modernization program, focused on 
moving the National Police (PNP) toward a community-based, 
democratic model of policing, garnered a large amount of positive 
press, both print and electronic.  Senior Panamanian officials have 
lauded the program in public remarks.  The PNP has gone so far as to 
adopt our suggested changes to its mission statement. 
 
¶5.  (U) Academic staff of the Southern Police Institute (SPI), 
senior members of the Miami and Boston Police Departments, and a 
former London Police commander offered instruction to more than 30 
senior officers of the PNP and four members of the Costa Rican 
Public Force (Fuerza Publica) during April and May.  In addition, 
session three of our PELSS (Police Executive Leadership Seminar 
Series) seminar focused on advanced case studies of police 
management and use of technology to solve problems.  Beta testing of 
the INCRIDEFA crime statistics and mapping database has successfully 
concluded.  We will begin connecting the system in the Panama City 
metropolitan area in mid-June. 
 
Regional Efforts 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) NAS PSC's Chip Gusler and Jorge Medina conducted a ten-day 
TDY to Costa Rica and Nicaragua (in coordination with local NAS 
offices) to develop proposals for coordination on regional 
counternarcotics issues.  One result is the decision to include 
officers from both nations in the next DHS/ICE investigators course 
at the Federal Law Enforcement Education and Training Center 
(FLETC).  PSC Don Gosselin also traveled to Costa Rica in May with a 
ranking PNP officer to deliver a first installment of PELSS in San 
Jose. 
 
Maritime Vessel Repairs 
----------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) We continue to advance on our project to rehabilitate the 
SMN's four existing USCG-donated 82-foot patrol vessels.  The first 
ship is close to 50 percent complete and two of the remaining three 
vessels are having some exterior hull work completed.  Inter alia, 
these repairs should enable the vessels to participate in the 
upcoming PANAMAX exercise. 
 
EATON