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DE RUEHZP #1824/01 3341915
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R 301915Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
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INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
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C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 001824 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA:  THE ITALIAN BUTCHER HIRES A CAMPAIGN 
MANAGER 
 
 
Classified By: POLCOUNS Brian R. Naranjo. Reasons:  1.4 (b) 
and (d) 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) "I have agreed to be campaign manager for Ricardo 
(Martinelli) starting full-time on January 1," Jimmy 
Papademetriu told POLCOUNS on November 27, though he said he 
would eschew the title "campaign manager" as it "paints a 
target on one's back."  Papademetriu said that Patriotic 
Union (UP) party VP Anibal Galindo was actively working to 
promote Martinelli's campaign while Galindo's co-VP, Jose 
Raul Mulino was working actively for Panamenista candidate 
Alberto Vallarino and UP President Guillermo "Billy" Ford had 
declared he would run for president.  As campaign manager, 
Papademetriu said he would first be working to get Martinelli 
to do more outreach to key movers and shakers in the 
opposition with the goal of "getting people comfortable with 
him."  "The one thing heavy hitter Panamanians fear the most 
is that the next president won't answer their calls," 
Papademetriu explained.  "I need to break down that fear and 
help assure them that Martinelli will take their calls and 
that they can work with him."  Papademetriu also provided 
some insights into what makes Martinelli tick.  End summary. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Coalition Building Underway in Opposition 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) Patriotic Union (UP) co-VP "Anibal Galindo is 
actively working with Martinelli," Papademetriu said.  "He is 
proposing that a team from UP and a team from Democratic 
Change (CD) work up a series of seven to ten position papers. 
 This joint effort would be one step toward a coalition." 
Papademetriu was not confident though that Galindo could sell 
this proposal to UP.  Meanwhile, UP co-VP "Jose Raul Mulino 
is definitely on (Panamamenista party prospective 
presidential candidate) Alberto Vallarino's team."  UP 
President Guillermo "Billy" Ford's announcement that he would 
run for president was intended to keep a lid on UP's VPs' 
jockeying for position.  "Patriotic Union is definitely in 
play."  Martinelli, in addition to working with Galindo, was 
reaching out to "puppet master" Samuel "Don Sammy" Lewis 
Galindo, the quasi-leader emeritus of UP.  According to 
Papademetriu, Don Sammy was like a horse owner who showed up 
to the track with two of his own horses -- nephew First VP 
and FM and PRD presidential prospect Samuel Lewis Navarro and 
son-in-law and Panamenista Party presidential prospect 
Alberto Vallarino -- but was not really satisfied that either 
would win.  "The Lewises had a family meeting and the 
decision was made that Sam was out and the family would 
support Alberto."  (Note:  Post has heard rumors that Don 
Sammy, patriarch of the Lewis clan, hosted such a meeting, 
but has no confirmation as to whether such a decision was 
made.)  Believing that there was considerable doubt that 
Vallarino was fully committed to the race, Papademetriu said, 
Martinelli was trying to urge Don Sammy to place his bet on 
him. 
 
¶3.  (C) "Ricardo needs to do more outreach.  He needs to make 
people comfortable with him.  The one thing heavy hitter 
Panamanians fear the most is that the next president won't 
answer their calls," Papademetriu explained.  "Ricardo needs 
to dispel that fear."  Noting that Vallarino and Martinelli 
had recently completed a joint land deal, Papademetriu said 
that in the coming months Martinelli would seek to seal an 
undisclosed number of business deals in which he would be the 
minority partner.  "He's gotten a bad rap for being somebody 
with whom it's difficult to do business and to make money," 
Papademetriu acknowledged.  "I want to be able to show that 
the movers and shakers in Panama can do business with 
Martinelli."  As for the persistent whisper campaign that 
Martinelli was "bipolar" and "on lithium,"  Papademetriu 
said, "Martinelli is the classic Italian butcher who likes to 
come out from behind the counter to talk politics with his 
customers.  His manner is brash and direct.  Some people 
interpret that as crazy."  Noting that he was working on 
polishing Martinelli's image, Papademetriu said he had sent 
Martinelli to public speaking classes with a consultant in 
New York, something he hoped to be able to continue.  Also, 
he said that he would be working to find the best types of 
formats and venues in which Martinelli would appear the most 
natural and at ease. 
 
 
-------------------- 
Internal CD Dynamics 
-------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) "Democratic Change is dead if Martinelli loses," 
Papademetriu said.  CD VP Roberto Henriquez was the only one 
really interested in the party as an institution; "He'd make 
a good Secretary General.  I've been encouraging Ricardo to 
give Roberto that job."  Noting the need to open up 
Martinelli's circle of advisors, Papademetriu said, "Most of 
these guys around him work for him and are on his payroll." 
Ricardo Quijano, administrative and logistics man, came to 
work for Martinelli after failing in the shrimp business. 
Economic Advisor and CD Treasurer Frank de Lima, 
Papademetriu's roommate at Boston University, worked his way 
up from a job in the Super99 grocery chain from "a job I got 
him."  CD VP and political advisor Roberto argues well on 
radio and television, but he never delivers the "take away 
message we want to get out there; he's a stuffed shirt." 
Papademetriu, however, did not provide any insight into the 
kinds of new advisors to which he would like to introduce 
Martinelli. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Insight into Martinelli the Person 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) "Martinelli is a micromanager," Papademetriu 
explained.  "He wants to know how thinly the salami is being 
sliced and on what shelf the bread is being displayed." 
Brash and confident, Martinelli also did not like being 
around older people, preferring to hang out with younger 
individuals.  "Look at his close advisors.  Look at me. 
We're all young." He was coachable and open to new ideas. 
Not wanting to feel like he was dying was one of the reasons 
for his relationship with his mistress, Aurora Muradas, 
Papademetriu asserted.  Asked whether Martinelli would ever 
contemplate pulling out of the race, Papademetriu said, 
"Absolutely not.  He could be at zero percent in the polls, 
and he would still spend millions on his campaign."  He said 
he believed that Vallarino's strategy to create a sense of 
inevitability about his candidacy so that he could negotiate 
businessman-to-businessman to get Martinelli to step down 
lest a divided opposition lose to the PRD was fanciful. 
Martinelli was worth in the neighborhood of USD 150 to 200 
million, most of which was tied up in land, and was willing 
to spend a significant amount of his own money on his 
campaign.  "He spent USD six million last time he ran." 
 
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Comment 
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¶6.  (C) It is no surprise to post that Martinelli intends to 
run and is unlikely to step down.  In hiring his campaign 
manager, Martinelli has taken the first step towards 
establishing a formal campaign structure.  His willingness to 
take speech classes belies reputation as a brash and 
headstrong multimillionaire businessman.  Additionally, his 
willingness to engage "old timers" like Don Sammy and to 
conduct missionary work to put movers and shakers at ease 
when he would rather run with the young and fun crowd suggest 
that Martinelli is amenable to coaching.  As Vallarino has 
been ramping up his political activities, Martinelli has 
become more isolated within an opposition where the 
Panamenista Party remains the largest force.  His outreach is 
also therefore an effort to break down this isolation, 
promote his candidacy, and remain on top of the polls. 
 
 
EATON