VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHZP #0473/01 1632101
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 122101Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3489
INFO RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS PANAMA 000473 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA: REQUEST FOR SEARCH COORDINATES 
 
---------------------------------- 
Summary, Action Request and Comment 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Post received a dipnote from the MFA on June 2 
informing the Embassy that the Attorney General's Office was 
requesting the "documentation related to search operations 
that took place in the month of November 2009." The note 
refers to a USCG P-3 that responded to a Panamanian 
Aero-Naval Service (SENAN) request for assistance trying to 
locate a Panamanian pilot who had crashed into the Pacific in 
international waters while flying a helicopter off the 
Venezuelan flagged tuna fishing boat F/V Don Francisco. The 
prosecutor is investigating possible criminal acts in the 
disappearance of Carlos Julio Alvarado, the pilot of the 
helicopter. 
 
¶2.  (U)  Action Request: Post requests guidance for response. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Comment: This case has been going on for months, 
and the MFA has leaked every official piece of correspondence 
between the Embassy and the MFA and SENAN to the family of 
Mr. Alvarado, who appear to be very upset about the death of 
their son, and unable to accept all indications that his 
helicopter crashed into the sea and sank with him aboard. The 
family members have called Embassy officers on several 
occasions, with the information in the dipnotes and letters 
Post had exchanged with the MFA and SENAN, and have asked the 
USG to search for their missing son again. The only USG 
involvement in this case was one day of P-3 searches for the 
helicopter, which was based on coordinates given to the USCG 
by SENAN. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Unofficial Translation of Dipnote 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) BEGIN UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATIONS: 
 
UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION 
 
REPUBLIC OF PANAMA 
 
Ministry of Foreign Relations 
 
N/V A.J. No. 1312 
 
THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN RELATION - DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF 
LEGAL AFFAIRS AND TREATIES - PRESENTS ITS COMPLIMENTS TO 
THE HONORABLE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ON 
THE OCCASION OF REFERRING TO PANAMANIAN CITIZEN CARLOS 
JULIO ALVARADO, WHO DISAPPEARED THIS PAST NOVEMBER 29, 
2008, CLOSE TO PUNTA BURICA, CHIRIQUI PROVINCE, WHILE 
FLYING A ROBINSON R22 HELICOPTER, WHICH TRAVELED ON BOARD 
THE SHIP DON FRANCESCO 
 
THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN RELATIONS - DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF 
LEGAL AFFAIRS AND TREATIES - ON THE ISSUE, WOULD LIKE TO 
INFORM THE HONORABLE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF 
AMERICAN THAT THROUGH NOTE PGN-SAI-804-09 OF MAY 13, 2009, 
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, UPON REQUEST FROM THE FIRST 
SUPERIOR PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE OF THE THIRD JUDICIAL 
DISTRICT, REQUESTED THAT THIS FOREIGN MINISTRY PROVIDE ITS 
GOOD OFFICES TO OBTAIN DOCUMENTATION RELATED TO SEARCH 
OPERATIONS CARRIED OUT IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER OF 2008, 
SINCE THE CLAIMANT ALLEGES THAT THE PLACE OF THE ACCIDENT 
IS NOT THE ONE POINTED OUT BY THE CREW OF THE SHIP DON 
FRANCESCO, NOR THE DATE INDICATED BY THEM, AND AMONG THE 
SHIPS THAT WERE SEARCHING THE FUSELAGE WERE ONE AIRCRAFT 
AND PERSONNEL FROM THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD. 
 
THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN RELATIONS - DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF 
LEGAL AFFAIRS AND TREATIES - IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, WHOLE 
LIKE TO REQUEST THE HONORABLE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES 
OF AMERICA TO PROVIDE THE ABOVE REQUESTED INFORMATION IN 
ORDER TO USE IT IN THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST SUPERIOR 
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE OF THE THIRD JUDICIAL DISTRICT, FOR THE 
ALLEGED CRIME AGAINST LIFE AND PERSONAL INTEGRITY, TO THE 
DETRIMENT OF MR. CARLOS JULIO ALVARADO. 
 
THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN RELATIONS - DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF 
LEGAL AFFAIRS AND TREATIES - TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY TO 
REITERATE TO THE HONORABLE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF 
AMERICA THE ASSURANCES OF ITS HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. 
 
Panama May 21, 2009 
 
The Honorable Embassy of the United States of America 
City. 
 
End Unofficial Translation. 
STEPHENSON