PANAMANIAN COMPTROLLER GENERAL DANI KUZNIECKY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PANAMA 001613 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/02/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV EFIN PM POL CHIEF SUBJECT: PANAMANIAN COMPTROLLER GENERAL DANI KUZNIECKY DISENCHANTED WITH TORRIJOS, MULLS CALLING IT QUITS REF: PANAMA 1553 Classified By: CDA JDANILOWICZ FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Disturbed by an administration he sees as rudderless and by President Torrijos's lack of attention to his reform agenda, especially anti-corruption, Comptroller Dani Kuzniecky is considering throwing in the towel. Kuzniecky's defection would deprive Torrijos of one of his most able reform activists, although his loyalty to Torrijos and his ambitious plans for the Contraloria probably make a sudden departure unlikely. Nonetheless, Kuzniecky's frustration was plain in recent talks with Ambassador Watt, POL Counselor, and POL Specialist. Kuzniecky wants Torrijos to devote much more attention to the Contraloria to help Kuzniecky stem the theft of public funds, which he says continues unabated at all levels of government. In private, Kuzniecky often has accused Torrijos of failing to lead and having no plan for governing. While Kuzniecky sharply criticized Torrijos and several ministers, he praised others, including Government and Justice Minister Hector Aleman and Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis. Kuzniecky's awkward position illustrates the GOP's contradiction, between the technocrats who nominally are in power and the Democratic Revolutionary Party's political realties, which the president is doing little to change. End Summary. An Aloof President -------------- ¶2. (C) In a July 22 conversation with POL Specialist, an obviously depressed Kuzniecky made no bones about his disappointment with Torrijos and with the GOP in general. Kuzniecky said that Torrijos pays scant attention to him. As he briefs the president on his plans, Kuzniecky complained, Torrijos stares at the ceiling, takes phone calls, gives me the thumbs up and says "good job, good plan, let's discuss this next week," but the time for that discussion never comes. Kuzniecky pointed out that the Comptroller General must approve every expenditure in the country. A close relationship with the president is vital for the Comptroller to do his job, he believes, yet he and Torrijos hadn't spoken in three weeks. "How can that be?" he asked sarcastically. "So That's It?" -------------- ¶3. (C) Kuzniecky particularly would like to get rid of his Deputy Comptroller General, PRD stalwart Luis Amado, whom he suspects of demanding "commissions." Amado can be removed only with Torrijos's OK. Contraloria officials have gotten used to demanding commissions or kickbacks from vendors in return for making legitimate payments, Kuzniecky explained. Kuzniecky can prevent Amado from stealing if he watches him but, he added, he cannot watch him all the time. For example, Kuzniecky recently signed a $9 million check for the Nikos Cafe restaurant chain, which has a contract to provide meals for Panamanian police officers. A few days later, Kuzniecky got a phone call from Nikos' owner, saying "So that's it? You mean, you don't want a commission?" We Need To Put People In Jail -------------- ¶4. (C) The people's level of frustration level with corruption and impunity is very high, Kuzniecky told Ambassador Watt in late July. That frustration is exacerbated due to recent problematic Supreme Court rulings (see Reftel) and scandals involving legislators accused of selling their right to import tax-free vehicles to car dealerships. People in Panama cheat everywhere, Kuzniecky said, from the Court's "ridiculous rulings" to the lowest level of the government. Scratch and you'll find something," he said. "We need to send people to jail soon." ¶5. (C) Kuzniecky is reluctant to leave Torrijos in the middle of the CSS reform crisis but vows that unless he starts paying more attention, he won't put up with this. Kuzniecky planted a story in a local daily that he might be quitting soon, he confided to POL Specialist. When he ran into Minister of the Presidency Ubaldino Real on July 22, he asked Real "have you guys found a new Comptroller General?" Real allegedly laughed and said "I am sure that you are kidding." "I'm not kidding," Kuzniecky said he replied. It's Not Happening -------------- ¶6. (C) In separate conversations with POL Counselor, Kuzniecky said that the GOP was doing a lousy job communicating its "story" and its priorities. The government constantly fails to get ahead of the news with its version of events. The government has no real plan, Kuzniecky said, no vision of how it wants to accomplish its objectives. Torrijos could help himself if he gave more speeches and began to outline his vision for the country, Kuzniecky said, but he has not done so, perhaps because he has no plan. Kuzniecky often reminds Torrijos that he has a unique opportunity, perhaps not to be repeated, to accomplish great things in Panama and to really put the country on a new footing. The trouble is, Kuzniecky implied, it's just not happening. Comments on the Cabinet -------------- ¶7. (C) Kuzniecky had the following to say about the cabinet: --Government and Justice Minister Hector Aleman, Minister of Housing Balbina Herrera, and Minister of Public Works Carlos Vallarino -- They are the ones who are really working. Not only are they doing their "political" work, but they are actually executing plans and programs. --Social Development (formerly MINJUMFA) Minister Leonor Calderon -- She is feeling down and has been very quiet and uninterested lately. She feels that Torrijos ignores her portfolio and keeps referring her to the First Lady's office. --Tourism Minister Ruben Blades -- He has done nothing ("The Moscoso government did much better in tourism that we are doing") and he tries the ministers' patience by mentioning his artistic career at every Cabinet meeting. The ministers criticize him behind his back for sloppy presentations. His ego was badly affected with last week's poll, which doesn't reflect good on him and he has been rude to some recently." --Vice President/Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis Navarro -- Lewis doesn't like him and Kuzniecky is not fond of Lewis but he added "I have to admit that he does a good job. He would be a better president than Torrijos. No doubt." --Trade Minister Alejandro Ferrer -- "a smart guy." Once he was approachable, Kuzniecky said, but his ego is growing. Kuzniecky keeps sending documents back to Ferrer's office for corrections before he approves them but Ferrer doesn't like it, he said. --Agriculture Minister Laurentino Cortizo -- "A total fake." --Presidency Minister Ubaldino Real -- "Another true disappointment," Kuzniecky said, adding that he and Uba are friends and spent much time together during the campaign. "He is reviewing everything and doing nothing." Given his close relationship with Torrijos, Uba "should be the guy with the whip" making sure that everyone does what they're supposed to do, as he knows Martin would support him, but he doesn't do it. "Uba knows that things are not going well and he is not doing anything to help." --Banco Nacional de Panama General Manager Juan De Dianous -- Kuzniecky praised De Dianous, pointing out that so far in 2005 the bank already has made $70-80 million in profits. Most Unpopular Award -------------- ¶8. (C) Kuzniecky said that he and Finance Minister Ricaurte Vasquez, another straight-shooter, are the least liked people in the GOP. Kuzniecky said PRD majority leader Freddi Torres had asked him, "Are you Panama's new Mother Theresa?" for Kuzniecky's insistence on transparency. Comment -------------- ¶9. (C) Unlike most of the cabinet, which took office on September 1, 2004, Kuzniecky has been at his job as Comptroller General barely seven months. A principal technocratic appointee and one of Torrijos's childhood school chums, Kuzniecky does not need his government job and could return to his law practice at any time. But we doubt he will do so, at least for now, despite his dissatisfaction. Kuzniecky is an idealist and extremely able; government service intrigues him precisely because it allows him to "make a difference." His discomfort stems from the clash between his idealism and the president's failure thus far to change Panama's kleptocratic political culture or to show much interest in Kuzniecky's work. Kuzniecky's degree of dissatisfaction at his job is an indicator of the extent to which Torrijos is succeeding in bringing change to Panama. Given present trends, we would not be surprised if Kuzniecky does not finish out his five-year term. DANILOWICZ