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RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
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O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 001896 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA:  PRD-OPPOSITION COMPROMISE MOVES DAY OF 
MOURNING RESOLUTION FORWARD 
 
REF: A. PANAMA 1872 
     ¶B. PANAMA 1867 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR WILLIAM A. EATON.  REASONS:  1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (C)  National Assembly President Pedro Miguel Gonzalez's 
resolution to proclaim December 20 -- the anniversary of 
OPERATION JUST CAUSE, the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama -- a 
"Day of Mourning and of Patriotic Reflection" was approved by 
the National Assembly in its third and final debate on 
December 20.  (Note:  Pedro Miguel Gonzalez (PMG) is under 
federal indictment in connection with the 1992 murder of a 
U.S. serviceman serving in Panama.)  The bill advanced on the 
back of a surprising development in Panama's legislature:  a 
compromise between the chamber's governing Revolutionary 
Democratic Party (PRD) and the opposition.  Tensions in the 
chamber abated significantly after PRD Deputy and Majority 
Leader Leandro Avila and Panamenista Party Deputy and 
Minority Leader Jose Blandon, Jr. met on the afternoon of 
December 19 to hammer out a compromise.  President Martin 
Torrijos had deployed Minister of Housing Balbina Herrera on 
December 18 to negotiate a new, less vitriolic resolution 
text directly with PMG, MFA Senior Advisor Adolfo Ahumada 
informed DCM on December 19.  Herrera asserted to DCM on 
December 19 that PMG had agreed to operate on the basis of a 
new resolution text.  PRD Deputy Miguel "Mickey" Aleman, 
however, told POLCOUNS on December 19 deliberations continued 
on the basis of PMG's original draft, however.  Herrera might 
have lowered the temperature on this matter.  First VP and FM 
Samuel Lewis expressed his relief to Ambassador on December 
20 that this legislation was not spiraling in a more 
controversial direction and asserted that Torrijos and he had 
"tried as much as possible" to weaken the intentions of PMG's 
proposed divisive law.  Post expects that Torrijos will sign 
it into law.  End summary. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Day of Mourning and Patriotic Reflection 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) While post does not yet have the final text of 
resolution as it will be sent to the President, the following 
are the key elements as read aloud during the bill's third 
and final debate. 
 
-- The resolution declares that "December 20 of each year" 
will be a "Day of Mourning and Patriotic Reflection." 
 
-- The flag will be flown at half-mast, sales of alcoholic 
beverages will not be permitted, the playing of "raucous" or 
"loud" music on radio and television will not be permitted, 
and public music performances will not be permitted. 
 
-- It will not be national day off, but rather a normal work 
day. 
 
-- A Committee of Truth and for National Reflection will be 
formed and composed of: 
(a) the Public Defender (Ombudsman), 
(b) a representative from the Ecumenical Committee, 
(c) a representative from the Attorney General's Office, 
(d) a representative from the University of Panama, 
(e) a representative from the Executive Branch, and 
(f) two representatives from the National Assembly, one each 
from the governing party and from the opposition. 
 
-- This Committee will be charged with: 
(a) producing a list of those who died between 1968 and 1989 
"due to the repressive character of the state;" 
(b) producing a list of those who died as a result of "the 
U.S. military invasion of Panama on December 20, 1989;" 
(c) providing "an objective account" of the facts surrounding 
both a and b; and 
(d) recommending to the "Panamanian State" what it should do 
"to indemnify the victims of these events." 
 
-- The GOP is mandated to provide all the necessary resources 
to enable this committee fulfill its responsibilities. 
 
-- "A monument to the victims of the U.S. invasion" is to be 
erected in the El Chorrillo neighborhood of Panama City and 
is to include the names of all of the victims. 
 
 
---------------------------------------- 
PMG Kicks Off Dec. 19 with Victims Event 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) PMG set the stage for more confrontation on December 
19 with a polemic morning event with the Association of the 
Fallen Victims of December 20.  Asserting that most 
Panamanians sought to forget the invasion as a "defense 
mechanism," PMG said, "We are all a bit responsible for those 
events, some by collaborating with the invading troops and 
others for failing to take the patriotic actions that were 
required at that point in the country's history."  Eighteen 
years later, "it is time for Panamanians to recall, confront, 
and assess those traumatic events without vengeance or desire 
for reprisal to be able to continue to advance in a positive 
manner and, more importantly, to pay due honor to the victims 
of the invasion."  Continuing, he said, "We must do this to 
remember and honor the thousands of people who were vilely 
murdered during the U.S. invasion."  Towards the end of these 
extemporaneous remarks, PMG asserted that the struggle for 
the country's sovereignty did not end in 1989 and that 
nations have to struggle permanently for their independence 
and sovereignty.  The achievement of equity with sovereignty 
and dignity was the "true just cause," PMG said. 
 
------------------------------- 
Torrijos Administration Engaged 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) "The rift between Torrijos and Pedro Miguel continues 
to deepen," MFA Senior Advisor Adolfo Ahumada told DCM on 
December 19.  On the margins of a conversation with PMG 
regarding then-draft legislation concerning the Technical 
Judicial Police (PTJ) (SEPTEL), Torrijos told PMG that the 
National Day of Mourning was creating a problem that PMG had 
to fix, Ahumada explained.  On the evening of December 18, 
Torrijos tasked Minister of Housing Balbina Herrera with 
negotiating with PMG.  Absent the preferred outcome that the 
resolution be withdrawn, according to Ahumada, Herrera was to 
secure the following changes:   (1) no holiday to be 
declared, (2) eliminate the incendiary language in the 
justification for the bill (exposicion de motivos); and (3) 
declare a "Day of Reflection," not a "Day of Mourning." As a 
fallback, Herrera was authorized to accept neutral language 
for the justification for the bill that would call on 
Panamanians to reflect on the events of December 20, 1989 and 
note that each individual had the right to form one's own 
opinion about those events.  Ahumada unconvincingly stated 
that he did not think that the resolution would pass.  Asked 
if the President would sign the resolution into law, Ahumada 
state, "Not in its current form." 
 
¶5. (C) Confirming to DCM that she had engaged PMG, Herrera 
stated on December 19 that PMG had agreed to introduce an 
alternative version of the resolution.  Herrera reviewed the 
alternative resolution, the language of which did not mention 
the U.S. or alleged atrocities.  It called on Panamanians to 
reflect on the "historical significance," recognize that 
different people would see things differently, and call on 
Panamanians to look upon those events in the spirit of 
harmony and peace.  No alternative resolution text, however, 
had been deployed, PRD Deputy Miguel "Mickey" Aleman told 
POLCOUNS on the early afternoon of December 19. 
 
¶6. (C) "The President and I have tried as much as possible" 
to weaken the intentions of PMB in seeking to advance this 
divisive resolution, First VP and FM Samuel Lewis told 
Ambassador in a December 20 telcon.  Lewis asserted that 
Torrijos had made progress in lowering the tone of the 
legislation to ensure that it did not spiral out of control 
in a more controversial direction.  "You can see that we are 
dealing with a crazy guy," Lewis added.  Lewis explained that 
he had personally redrafted the justification for the bill to 
expunge the incendiary language, "but it was not accepted." 
While the justification for the bill would no doubt still 
include anti-American vitriol, Lewis asserted that the 
resolution itself "is being toned down." 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Majority and Minority Leaders Broker Compromise 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶7. (C)  National Assembly professional staffer Roberto 
Montanez informed POL that tensions in the chamber abated 
significantly in the wake of a meeting between PRD Deputy and 
 
Majority Leader Leandro Avila and Panamanista Deputy and 
Minority Leader Jose Blandon on the late afternoon of 
December 19.  (Note:  Press reporting credits PMG and Blandon 
for brokering a compromise.)  Avila and Blandon allegedly 
quickly reached agreement to call December 20 a "Day of 
Reflection," keep it a normal work day (not a holiday), and 
not declare that "the dead are martyrs and the survivors are 
heroes."  (Note:  The opposition scored points by asking that 
since former dictator Manuel Noriega had "survived," would he 
too then be considered a "hero?")  Blandon secured a 
commitment that a special committee to investigate deaths and 
disappearances allegedly linked to the U.S. invasion would 
also investigate deaths and disappearances allegedly linked 
to "the military dictatorship."  Additionally, Blandon 
secured a commitment that a mechanism would be put in place 
to indemnify surviving victims and the next of kin of 
deceased victims. 
 
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Comment 
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¶8. (C)  While relieved that a significant amount of the edge 
had been taken off this resolution, the Torrijos 
Administration is also increasingly concerned about its 
deteriorated ability to influence the National Assembly, 
particularly an Assembly dominated 45 to 30 by its own PRD 
party members.  Ultimately, PMG prevailed in securing all of 
his provisions while only conceding that any investigation by 
the special commitee also look at deaths and disappearances 
alleged to have been committed over thirty years of military 
dictatorship.  Anodyne alternative language drafted by MFA 
mandarins (Ahumada, not Lewis, was probably the drafter of 
the alternative justification for the bill) was doomed to 
failure as it utterly failed to fully grapple with the 
political realities in the chamber driven primarily by PMG 
and his acolytes.  Herrera's role as a water carrier with 
National Assembly is a new one.  At a minimum, deploying 
Herrera, whose radical PRD credentials remain sterling, 
helped inoculate Torrijos from criticism.  It remains to be 
seen, however, if Herrera can carry out the vital role that 
desperately needs to be filled on Team Torrijos:  legislative 
coordinator.  Herrera's willingness to engage does underscore 
that this cautious and calculating politician now perceives 
the personal political need to attempt to temper PMG's 
behavior. 
 
¶9. (C) It also remains to be seen whether Avila's and 
Blandon's willingness to engage to reach a compromise and 
PMG's willingness and flexibility to allow such a compromise 
to move forward indicate that Panama's National Assembly may 
function more like a truly independent branch of government, 
not simply a rubber stamp for the executive as has been more 
the norm in Panama.  This spirit of compromise may be short 
lived and due more to the issue at hand, the personalities 
involved, and the political machinations in the background as 
the PRD prepares to launch its process for selecting its 
internal leadership.  Indeed, PMG may have been compelled to 
seek a compromise to preserve political space for himself -- 
while at the same time rescuing his pet project -- as 
"tendency (tendencia)" PRD hard-liners like Mitchel Doens 
lined up in support of Torrijos for the PRD's National 
Executive Committee (CEN) elections that will take place in 
March.  Going forward, the increasingly fluid political 
situation -- both internal to the PRD and other parties and 
due to the jockeying for position in the presidential and 
other races -- will provide ample opportunity for more roller 
coaster-like activity in Panama. 
EATON