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### Viewing cable 09PANAMA571, PANAMA: EMBASSY BRIEFS INCOMING GOVERNMENT ON

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09PANAMA571 | 2009-07-17 20:08 | 2011-04-12 00:12 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Panama

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHZP #0571/01 1982025
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    R 172025Z JUL 09
    FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3602
    INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
    RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2833
    RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 3844
    RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
    RHMFISS/DIRJIATF SOUTH
    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 000571

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2019
    TAGS: PGOV PREL PM
    SUBJECT: PANAMA: EMBASSY BRIEFS INCOMING GOVERNMENT ON
    SECURITY STRATEGY

    Classified By: Charge David R. Gilmour for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

    -------
    Summary
    -------

    ¶1.  (C)  "You have saved us six months time getting started,"
    Panama's Vice President and Foreign Minister Juan Carlos
    Varela told the Ambassador June 23, following a security
    briefing by the Embassy Law Enforcement and Security Working
    Group (LESWG) for the incoming GOP security leadership.
    Varela, Minister of Government and Justice Jose Raul Mulino
    and Attorney General Ana Matilde Gomez all reacted very
    positively to the Embassy's presentation, which they all said
    helped them understand the make up of the LESWG, and to see
    the unified strategy that guided all the different USG
    agencies. The briefing highlighted the excellent security
    cooperation the USG has enjoyed with Panama, the Embassy's
    assessment of the security challenges faced by Panama, and
    the Embassy's strategy for supporting Panama, including
    Merida Initiative programs and Post's 1207 proposal. Varela
    asked that such meetings be held every six months to keep the
    GOP leadership informed of the progress on security issues.
    End Summary.

    --------------------------
    You Have Saved Us 6 Months
    --------------------------

    ¶2.  (C)  The Ambassador led the five hour briefing by the
    Embassy LESWG for the incoming administration's security
    leadership, led by Varela, Mulino and Gomez. The heads of all
    the major Panamanian security institutions attended the
    event, which was organized by NAS. Varela declared that the
    briefing gave the incoming leadership a full grasp of the
    Embassy's evaluation of the security situation, its capacity
    to assist, and the USG's strategic vision of how Panama
    should move forward to confront its security challenges.
    Attorney General Ana Matilde Gomez said that after five years
    in office the briefing had finally given her a good
    understanding of the USG's security strategy and operational
    structure. Mulino reacted by speaking very frankly about the
    GOP's determination to work with the Government of Colombia
    to increase the governmental presence on each side of their
    shared frontier, increase cooperation on immigration, and
    implement a demobilization campaign for the FARC. He
    emphasized the danger the increasing crime rate represented
    to Panama's economic development, and welcomed the USG's
    support.

    ------------
    The Briefing
    ------------

    ¶3.  (C)  The LESWG briefing stressed the shared security
    interests of Panama and the U.S., especially the continued
    stability of Panama in the face of international crime and
    narco-terrorism. Briefers laid out the threat posed to Panama
    by drug trafficking in Panama's territorial waters, and how
    this tended to strengthen the domestic gang threat by
    providing opportunities for local gangs to work for
    international drug trafficking organizations as they move the
    drugs on short hops along the coast, and transfer to land.
    The briefing stressed the links between the international
    drug trafficking threat and Panama's domestic crime wave.
    Briefers went on to show how the Embassy's proposed Darien
    strategy to increase government presence in areas with a FARC
    presence and increase police capability, to be funded in part
    with 1207 funds that have now received a preliminary
    approval, would support an overall strategy to confront
    criminality in Panama and promote democratic stability. The
    briefing also highlighted the Embassy's plans for Merida
    Initiative funding to promote community policing and develop
    youth programs to prevent young people from being recruited
    into gangs.

    ------------------
    Support for Merida
    ------------------

    ¶4.  (C)   Gomez praised the Embassy's focus on the growing

    gang problem in Panama through its Merida strategy, and said
    she would support it. Varela said he was happy with the
    emphasis USAID's Merida program placed on working with and
    strengthening existing NGOs and religious groups. He offered
    to provide resources to organize a meeting of stake holders
    interested in crime prevention programs. Varela also
    expressed interest in NAS's proposals to establish a body in
    the MOGJ to investigate high level and institutional
    corruption in the security services. PNP Director-designate
    Gustavo Perez and MOGJ Vice Minister of Public Security
    Alejandro Garuz both expressed their support for NAS's
    Merida-financed community police training program. Perez said
    that he strongly supported community policing, and would
    support NAS's program however he could.

    ------------------
    Strategic Planning
    ------------------

    ¶5.  (C)  The Ambassador stressed the importance of developing
    a strategic planning capability in the government, and
    especially for the development of the security services.
    Mulino said that they were bringing in McKinsy & Company
    consultants to look at the Ministry of Government and Justice
    (MOGJ) and the security services and develop a plan. Garuz
    said that he wanted to introduce a 15 year plan for the
    security services, laying out a strategy for acquiring
    equipment, improving training, and reforming the
    administration of the security services. He said he wanted to
    move uniformed officers out of administration and bring in
    civilian professionals to the MOGJ to improve the
    administration of the services.

    ------------------
    Other Deliverables
    ------------------

    ¶6.  (C)  Varela agreed to a public signing ceremony for the
    Assistance Agreement for USAID's ESF money within the first
    week of the new government (Note: the ceremony took place on
    July 7 End Note.) Varela also told Post CBP officer that the
    new government was interested in developing an Advance
    Passenger Information System (APIS) program with the USG, and
    that it would be a high priority for them.

    -------
    Comment
    -------

    ¶7.  (C)  By putting USG security programs in their broader
    strategic context, demonstrating a united Embassy security
    team with strong leadership from the Ambassador, and showing
    the Embassy's concern for Panama's own security concerns, the
    briefing disarmed the suspicions of Varela and Mulino that
    they were being asked to use their scarce security resources
    to meet the needs of the USG in detriment to their own
    security needs. The key to the briefing's success was showing
    a close correlation between Panama's domestic crime problems
    and the international drug trafficking networks the Embassy
    targets. We were able to show that their connections were
    real, and that we were designing our strategy with an eye to
    protecting Panama's stability, and not just to catch more
    drugs. The leaders of the new government were also reassured
    that there was one unified Embassy security strategy under
    the leadership of the Ambassador, which would allow them to
    maintain control of their security relationship with the USG
    through the Ambassador. Varela and Mulino were visibly
    relieved after the briefing, while Gomez was thrilled to have
    been given an opportunity to understand the full breadth of
    US-Panamanian security cooperation. Post believes that the
    briefing has given us an excellent opportunity to develop
    relationships and expand security cooperation in a spirit of
    partnership that will benefit both nations.
    GILMOUR

`