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DE RUEHZP #0072/01 0242232
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INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000072 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA:  BALBINA TELLS AMBASSADOR "I DO NOT WANT 
TO RU FOR PRESIDENT" 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William A. Eaton.  Reasons:  1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) "I do not want to run for president," Minister of 
Housing -- and widely presumed governing Revolutionary 
Democratic Party (PRD) presidential aspirant -- Balbina 
Herrera emphatically stated several times to Ambassador 
during their one-on-one January 24 lunch.  She stood 
steadfast in her support for Panama City Mayor Juan Carlos 
Navarro to be the PRD's presidential nominee noting that he 
had worked hard to "deserve the nomination" and  that she 
would "not go back on her word to support Juan Carlos." 
Reviewing the January 20 PRD election of delegates, Herrera 
asserted confidently that she would "crush" former President 
Ernesto "El Toro" Perez Balladares March 9 when the delegates 
meet to elect the PRD president.  Several times during the 
conversation, Herrera inquired about the degree to which U.S. 
fugitive Pedro Miguel Gonzalez's election as president of the 
National Assembly had damaged bilateral relations and the 
PRD's relations with the U.S.   Concerning possible 
Venezuelan interference in Panama's political season, Herrera 
assured, "Nobody is stupid enough to take Chavez's money. 
Anybody who did would be dead politically in Panama." 
Finally, Herrera, acknowledging that she was viewed with some 
suspicion in certain quarters in the U.S., said that she 
wished to travel to the U.S., something that this Embassy 
would support.  End summary. 
 
------------------------ 
"I'm running for mayor." 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (C) "I do not want to run for president," Herrera asserted 
-- repeatedly -- to Ambassador.  "I am running for mayor." 
Pressed by Ambassador who noted that many found that very 
hard to believe, Herrera responded that, while she intended 
to eventually to run for president, she was not yet ready to 
do so.  "I have to prove that I can run a government. 
Experience running a city would help me prove that," she 
said.  Furthermore, she said that she needed to build bridges 
to the "Club Union set," a reference to Panama's sanctum 
sanctorum for the wealthy, privileged and elite, and with the 
"Paitilla crowd," a reference to one of Panama City's upper 
class neighborhoods.  Pressed by Ambassador as to whether she 
would allow herself to be drafted, Herrera said, "No.  While 
he may not be the strongest presidential candidate, Juan 
Carlos (Navarro) will have the strongest party backing him. 
"I do not want to break my word.  I promised Juan Carlos 
(Navarro) that I would support him.  It would be bad for 
party unity to break that promise.  I want his support when I 
run for president in 2014." 
 
------------------------- 
"I will crush 'El Toro.'" 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) "I will crush 'El Toro'" in the race for PRD 
president, Herrera predicted.  She asserted that former 
President Ernest "El Toro" Perez Balladares was weak in the 
party and that his time had passed.  Sharing a delegate nose 
count with Ambassador, Herrera asserted that Perez Balladares 
only had the support of 4.8 percent of delegates whereas she 
assessed that she benefited from the support of 80.6 percent. 
 Asked how she "knew" what her base of support was, Herrera 
said, "This is my party.  I know these delegates.  I know 
where they are."  Noting that the PRD was a broad party that 
encompasses an impressive array of political opinion, Herrera 
asserted that the party's centrists (e.g., President Martin 
Torrijos) still controlled the party.  "The electorate is 
solidly centrist or left of center and that's exactly where 
the core of the PRD lies." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
"Pedro Miguel (Gonzalez) will not be re-elected." 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶4.  (C) National Assembly President "Pedro Miguel (Gonzalez) 
will not be re-elected," Herrera asserted.  Noting that 
similar assurances had been shared with the USG before, 
Herrera said, "No. He does not have the votes or political 
support to prevail again."  Throughout the course of 
conversation, Herrera returned to the topic of this U.S. 
fugitive sought on an indictment in connection with the 1992 
 
murder of a U.S. serviceman, stating several times, "I am 
concerned about the damage that Pedro Miguel did to the 
bilateral relationship and the PRD's relationship with the 
U.S."  Ambassador stated that the bilateral relationship was 
stronger than the impact of one individual, that the U.S. 
continued to work well and closely with the Torrijos 
Administration, and that the Embassy continued to foster 
close relations with the PRD. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
"Nobody is stupid enough to take Chavez's money." 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶5. (C) "Nobody is stupid enough to take Chavez's money," 
Herrera declared.  "Anybody who did would be dead politically 
in Panama."  Chavez did not have any natural allies or 
constituencies in Panama, Herrera asserted.  "The Bolivarian 
Circles in Panama are a joke."  Acknowledging that the 
Venezuelans were "mucking around," Herrera said that 
Venezuela would not have any significant political influence 
in Panama's elections. 
 
-------------------------- 
"I want to visit the U.S." 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Aware that she was viewed with some suspicion in the 
U.S., Herrera said that she would very much like to travel to 
the U.S.  Furthermore, she said that she wanted to have 
closer and more frequent contact with the Embassy and the 
Ambassador. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7. (C)  At the popular PRD hang-out Restaurante Angel, 
Herrera reveled in the one-on-one attention accorded her by 
the Ambassador.  Packed with political operators, word of 
their luncheon quickly seeped out and both Ambassador and 
Herrera were confronted by the press on departure.  Sotto 
voce, a surprised Herrera asked one journalist how they found 
out about the lunch.  Regardless of what Herrera's true 
political intentions are, one thing is clear:  Herrera will 
be a significant force not only within the PRD, but also in 
Panama.  The U.S. needs to get to know this politician 
better.  While post will actively continue to cultivate 
Herrera, post also believes that there would be tremendous 
value in facilitating her travel to Washington as well. 
EATON 
 
murder of a U.S. serviceman, stating several times, "I am 
concerned about the damage that Pedro Miguel did to the 
bilateral relationship and the PRD's relationship with the 
U.S."  Ambassador stated that the bilateral relationship was 
stronger than the impact of one individual, that the U.S. 
continued to work well and closely with the Torrijos 
Administration, and that the Embassy continued to foster 
close relations with the PRD. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
"Nobody is stupid enough to take Chavez's money." 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶5. (C) "Nobody is stupid enough to take Chavez's money," 
Herrera declared.  "Anybody who did would be dead politically 
in Panama."  Chavez did not have any natural allies or 
constituencies in Panama, Herrera asserted.  "The Bolivarian 
Circles in Panama are a joke."  Acknowledging that the 
Venezuelans were "mucking around," Herrera said that 
Venezuela would not have any significant political influence 
in Panama's elections. 
 
-------------------------- 
"I want to visit the U.S." 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Aware that she was viewed with some suspicion in the 
U.S., Herrera said that she would very much like to travel to 
the U.S.  Furthermore, she said that she wanted to have 
closer and more frequent contact with the Embassy and the 
Ambassador. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7. (C)  At the popular PRD hang-out Restaurante Angel, 
Herrera reveled in the one-on-one attention accorded her by 
the Ambassador.  Packed with political operators, word of 
their luncheon quickly seeped out and both Ambassador and 
Herrera were confronted by the press on departure.  Sotto 
voce, a surprised Herrera asked one journalist how they found 
out about the lunch.  Regardless of what Herrera's true 
political intentions are, one thing is clear:  Herrera will 
be a significant force not only within the PRD, but also in 
Panama.  The U.S. needs to get to know this politician 
better.  While post will actively continue to cultivate 
Herrera, post also believes that there would be tremendous 
value in facilitating her travel to Washington as well. 
EATON