Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 05PANAMA1184, PANAMA'S CSS REFORM PACKAGE PASSES WITH MINOR

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #05PANAMA1184.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05PANAMA1184 2005-06-01 21:21 2011-05-29 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Panama
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PANAMA 001184 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
VANCOUVER FOR CG ARREAGA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON PGOV PM PREL POLITICS FOREIGN POLICY
SUBJECT: PANAMA'S CSS REFORM PACKAGE PASSES WITH MINOR 
CHANGES 
 
 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
1. (SBU) On May 31, nine minutes before midnight, Panama's 
National Assembly passed President Martin Torrijos's Social 
Security (CSS) reform package with a vote of 43-30.  All 43 
Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) legislators voted in 
favor, while the opposition presented a united front against 
the reforms.  The National Assembly debated the 180 article 
package, first submitted to committee on May 18, in two 
marathon rounds over the last week, during which 142 minor 
modifications were adopted.  Multiple demonstrations 
continued today.  Labor groups today mounted a last-ditch 
effort to push Torrijos not to formally approve the package, 
which he did just before noon.  Business organizations 
continue to express concern that the reforms do not present a 
lasting solution to the sustainability of CSS, while labor 
groups argue that changes such as an increase in retirement 
age place too heavy a burden on workers.  The PRD, which has 
an absolute majority in the Assembly, came under fire from 
the opposition for pushing this package through the Assembly 
with only a brief consultation period.  (Note: The previous 
administration, under President Mireya Moscoso of the 
Panamenista Party, did nothing to address CSS reform.  End 
Note.)  With fiscal reforms and CSS reforms out of the way, 
the next major item on the Torrijos administration's agenda 
is the referendum on Canal expansion, set for late 2005 or 
early 2006.  End Summary. 
 
The Package 
----------- 
2. (U) The reform proposal has no big surprises for the 
Panamanian work force, but it also redistributes more funds 
to retirement, illness and maternity programs; modernizes the 
procurement system; makes contributions mandatory; and 
revises disability pension eligibility and the system for 
electing the board of directors.  The package includes an 
increase in retirement age from 57 to 60 for women and from 
62 to 65 for men; an increase in mandatory enrollment from 15 
to 20 years; greater state contributions in general and 
special funds for &workers at risk8 (construction, banana, 
and coffee workers); an increase in monthly payments for both 
employers and employees; mandatory enrollment of all workers; 
and improved asset management.  Privatization is not 
contemplated.  The reforms would be introduced gradually over 
the next ten years. 
 
3. (U) Although the actuarial studies have not been released, 
CSS Director Rene Luciani estimates the system is financially 
viable until 2035.  (Note: According to press reports, some 
private actuaries claim the system will face another 
financial crisis in 2015 and be bankrupt by 2028.  The 
current system would have gone bankrupt in seven years.  End 
Note.) 
 
4. (U) Torrijos was willing to make minor concessions for 
those close to retirement.  He accepted a "proportional" 
distribution of pensions to those who have already met the 
current 180 month quota, but for reasons of age, will retire 
after the new laws take effect but before they have met the 
240 month quota.  By 2015 the retirement quota will be set at 
300 months.  Torrijos also dropped the proposed retirement 
age for women from 62 to 60. 
 
The Critics 
----------- 
5. (SBU) To counter allegations by labor unions that the 
package is insupportable for the added burdens it places on 
laborers, the GOP has released item-by-item explanations of 
how elements in the package take into account the concerns of 
labor in major news papers.  Business organizations such as 
the Association of Business Executives (APEDE) and CSS board 
members have expressed concern over the lack of statistical 
projections presented by the GOP, that the reforms are 
nothing more than a temporary resolution, and that provisions 
such as the removal of a mandate to submit a yearly report to 
the CSS board would give too much autonomy to the CSS 
Director General.  National Council of Private Business 
(CoNEP) president Guillermo Villarreal announced that CoNEP, 
an umbrella business organization, would not support the 
reforms, and SUNTRACS, teachers, and CSS medical 
professionals have actively demonstrated against the package. 
 The Federation in Defense of Social Security united labor 
groups normally at odds with one another in their common 
rejection of the reforms. 
 
5. (SBU) COMMENT: Ultimately, the effect of the fast-action 
reform package has been to not only demonstrate the PRD's 
resolve and outward unity, but to briefly unify disparate 
opposition political parties, labor organizations, and the 
business community.  Union opposition to the reforms was 
inflexible, and would have been demonstrated regardless of 
the proposed reforms.  The two Popular Party legislators who 
were on board with the PRD reform package at the outset of 
the debates also voted against the package in the final 
round.  However, despite the Torrijos administration's 
somewhat heavy-handedness in pushing the reforms through the 
Assembly, Torrijos deserves major credit for tackling a 
politically unpopular task.  In addition, Panama's National 
Police, who invested huge amounts of time and effort into 
preparation for demonstrations, deserve praise for 
maintaining law and order.  End Comment. 
 
WATT