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C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 001346 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KJUS KCRM EWWT PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA POST:  EDITION VIII 
 
REF: PANAMA 1309 (AND PREVIOUS) 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affairs Luis Arreaga. 
                 Reasons:  1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) The latest edition of the Panama Post reports on a 
relatively slow week in Panamanian politics, though with some 
important movement on efforts to block a terrorist from 
becoming National Assembly President.  Highlights include: 
 
-- President Torrijos gets message on Pedro Miguel Gonzalez, 
will "take care of it;" 
-- "oriega:  A Closed Case?" panel focuses on cases in 
Panama, not on extradition to France; 
-- Update on to and fro of Presidential Candidates; and 
-- Celebrations on September 3 to commemorate the thirtieth 
anniversary of the signing of the Panama Canal treaties and 
to launch canal expansion project. 
 
End Summary. 
 
---------------------------- 
"Taking Care" of a Terrorist 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) "I passed your message concerning (candidate for 
President of the National Assembly) Pedro Miguel Gonzalez to 
President Torrijos, and he will take care of it," First VP 
and FM Samuel Lewis told Charge on August 6.  Charge had 
earlier shared with Lewis USG concerns regarding the 
prospects that Gonzalez, wanted in the U.S. for the 1991 
murder of U.S. serviceman Zak Hernandez and ineligible for a 
U.S. visa on terrorism grounds, would become the next 
legislative leader.  Comment:  Post will remain engaged to 
ensure follow-through on this commitment. 
 
¶3.  (C) Presidential Palace insider Lionel Solis told the 
Panama Post on August 8 that 
Torrijos had not yet spoke with Gonzalez about the National 
Assembly Presidency. Solis asserted to the Panama Post, "On 
my own initiative, I told Pedro Miguel that he should keep in 
mind his problems with the U.S. government and he should not 
try to corner the President on this matter.  I later heard 
that Pedro Miguel was telling others that he 'would' become 
President of the National Assembly were it not for the 
gringos.  Pedro Miguel does not want to look like a loser, 
but rather a victim." 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Noriega Extradition: Panama Looks At Itself 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The August 8 "Noriega: A Closed Case?" Forum in 
Panama City focused primarily on Panamanian cases pending 
against the former dictator, not on the current deliberations 
in the U.S. regarding his extradition.  This forum, billed 
widely in the media, served as an opportunity to examine 
Panama's own recent history under Noriega.  La Prensa's 
Washington-based correspondent Betty Brennan's review of 
Noriega's extradition deliberations in the U.S. were 
overshadowed by Robert Brenes' discussion of the Civil 
Crusade (Crusada Civilista), the civil society group that 
galvanized broad opposition to Noriega and the military. 
Indeed, leaders of the Civil Crusade were out in force, 
including Guillermo "Billy" Ford, Ruben "Chinchorro" Carles, 
Aurelio Barria, and Roberto "Bobby" Eisenmann.  Attorney 
General Ana Matilde Gomez grabbed La Prensa's headlines the 
following day with her statements that there were still 
several extradition requests pending against Noriega, 
including for the decapitation of Hugo Spadafora and the 
"Albrook Massacre" of Panamanian Defense Force (PDF) officers 
who attempted to overthrow Noriega.  Comment:  While there is 
a nationalist in nearly every Panamanian that would like to 
see Noriega face Panamanian justice as soon as possible, each 
Panamanian also has a pragmatic stripe that, worried that 
Panamanian justice would falter or fail, would rather see 
Noriega be extradited to France where he would definitely 
remain in prison.  Even former Civil Crusade leader and 
founder of La Prensa Roberto "Bobby" Eisenmann acknowledged 
in a recent opinion piece that it would be best for Noriega 
to go to France.  Fellow Civil Crusade leader Aurelio Barria 
continues to press the GOP to more actively work for 
Noriega's extradition to Panama, but even he is resigned to 
Noriega's extradition to France and his arguments get little 
traction. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Update on to and fro of Presidential Candidates 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶5.  (C)  The Panama Post observed little forward motion among 
presidential candidates:  Torrijos stood by Samuel Lewis, 
Alberto Vallarino appeared to have decided to join the 
Panamenistas, Mireya Moscoso continued her scheming, Jose 
Miguel Aleman advocated for Endara, and Endara and Martinelli 
continued to oppose participating in an interparty primary. 
Here are the highlights: 
 
-- First VP and FM Samuel Lewis banned from discussing 
politics while on the clock:  The Electoral Tribunal (TE) 
ruled recently that Article 30 of the Electoral code 
prohibited Lewis from discussing politics during work hours. 
In making its ruling, the TE determined that Lewis' status as 
FM prevailed over his elected position as First VP so that 
therefore Article 30 of the Electoral Code, which forbids 
discussing politics during work hours, applied to Lewis. 
Asked by the press for his reaction to this ruling that only 
became public on August 6, Lewis glanced at his watch and 
demurred, "We are still on the clock." 
 
-- Torrjos stands by Lewis:  Presidential Palace insider 
Lionel Solis told the Panama Post on August 8 that Torrijos 
"insisted" on supporting Lewis for the governing Democratic 
Revolutionary Party (PRD) presidential nomination though 
Torrijos understood that Lewis was "not too popular in the 
party."  Solis said Torrijos would nonetheless include Panama 
City Mayor Juan Carlos Navarro in his activities to ensure 
that he gets sufficient exposure.  According to Solis, while 
Minister of Housing Balbina Herrera was still riding high, 
"Torrijos resents her close political relationship with 
Hector Aleman," a long-time PRD enforcer, currently a 
National Assembly Deputy, and former Minister of Government 
and Justice. 
 
-- Alberto Vallarino to join with Panamenista Party: 
Expelled from the Panamenista party in 2004 for having 
accepted the presidential nomination of the now extinct 
Christian Democrats, Alberto Vallarino is expected to re-join 
the Panamenista Party on August 15, Jose Miguel Aleman 
confirmed for POLCOUNS on August 9.  Seen as a coup for 
former President Mireya Moscoso, Vallarino's return to the 
fold was characterized as a move "to facilitate an opposition 
party alliance" by Moscoso aide Eduardo Quiros.  Comment: 
Vallarino is a notoriously cautious and calculating 
politician.  It remains to be seen whether he will indeed 
seek the party's presidential nomination. 
 
-- Alberto Vallarino and former President Guillermo Endara 
accompany former President Mireya Moscoso to former President 
Arnulfo Arias' grave:  Flexing her political muscle, Moscoso 
asked Vallarino and Endara to join on August 10 at the grave 
of her husband and Panamenista party founder Arnuflo Arias. 
Vallarino and Endara are expected to be the keynote speakers 
at this commemoration organized by the Arnulfo Arias Madrid 
Foundation, headed by Moscoso.  As other Panamenista leaders 
urge party president Juan Carlos Varela to reconcile himself 
with Moscoso, there has been much speculation as to whether 
Varela will even attend this commemoration.  According to 
press reports, Varela will attend with his own posse in tow. 
 
-- "Interparty primary to select Martinelli's running mate:" 
Democratic Change operatives are putting out the word, echoed 
in political rumor columns, that the interparty primary would 
be an excellent way to choose Martinelli's vice presidential 
running mate.  For his part, Varela failed to convince 
Martinelli of the merits of an interparty primary during 
their August 8 breakfast. 
 
-- Jose Miguel Aleman:  Strong Endara Supporter:  In his 
August 9 conversation with POLCOUNS, Panamanenista Party 
member, former FM, and former Panamenista presidential 
candidate Jose Miguel Aleman:  (a) pointedly did not/not 
reject the idea that he sought to be Endara's vice 
presidential running mate, (b) confirmed that Endara had 
offered the position to him, and (c) said that Endara had to 
win Panamenista support by participating in an interparty 
opposition primary.  Clearly surprised by POLCOUNS's inquiry, 
Aleman reiterated that he and Endara had been in discussions 
since they both lost to Torrijos in 2004.  "We need to unify 
behind Endara if the opposition is to have a shot at 
defeating the PRD," Aleman said.  While Martinelli would 
definitely run, the rest of the opposition had to unify.  "If 
it is more than a three-way race, the opposition will 
definitely lose." Aside from Martinelli, Aleman said that 
only Endara and Alberto Vallarino had the wherewithal to win. 
 "Moscoso is currently backing Vallarino," Aleman asserted. 
Endara, Aleman confirmed, remains steadfast in his opposition 
to participating in an interparty primary.  Comment: 
Vallarino's enrollment in the Panamenista Party will likely 
constrain Aleman's own prospects as Vallarino consumes more 
Panamenista political oxygen thereby reinforcing Aleman's 
proclivity to advocate strongly on Endara's behalf. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
30th Anniversary of Panama Canal Treaties Signing 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶6.  (C) "To avoid 'conflicts,' Panama would only be inviting 
the Presidents of Costa Rica and Colombia -- our bordering 
neighbors -- to the festivities to commemorate the thirty 
anniversary of the signing of the Panama Canal treaties, 
Presidential Palace insider Lionel Solis told the Panama Post 
on August 8.  Solis, who will be the GOP coordinator for this 
September 3 celebration, said that President Arias and 
President Uribe had confirmed their attendance.  The main 
event would be held at the canal's Pedro Miguel Locks to 
which the 50,000 PRD members would be invited.  "We have to 
make a big deal out of this event as on January 31, 1999 we 
did not have the chance to receive the canal, rather Moscoso 
did."  Former President Carter would join Torrijos in 
ceremonially detonating charges that would set off a 
"symbolic explosion" in the small hills across the canal from 
the ceremony to begin the excavation for the canal expansion 
project.  To encourage "celebration of this sovereign act," 
the GOP would close for the day on September 3 as well as 
"encourage" the private sector to do the same and close 
public schools too. 
Arreaga