Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PANAMA534
2006-03-24 18:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Panama
Cable title:
VP/FORMIN LEWIS FINDS CASTRO "HEALTHY" AND
VZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHZP #0534 0831800 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 241800Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7680 INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2223 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0270 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0158 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0976 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR LIMA 0613 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 2954 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 0851 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0185 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0032
C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000534
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN AND WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR ENRG ETRD PM CU
SUBJECT: VP/FORMIN LEWIS FINDS CASTRO "HEALTHY" AND
"PRAGMATIC"
Classified By: Ambassador William A. Eaton - Reasons 1.5(b and d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000534
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN AND WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR ENRG ETRD PM CU
SUBJECT: VP/FORMIN LEWIS FINDS CASTRO "HEALTHY" AND
"PRAGMATIC"
Classified By: Ambassador William A. Eaton - Reasons 1.5(b and d)
1. (C) Panamanian First Vice President/Foreign Minister
Samuel Lewis Navarro (SLN) told Ambassador on March 23 that
he met for the first time with Fidel Castro in Cuba over the
March 18-19 weekend. He said Castro appeared to be in good
health, as he turned what SLN expected to be a 15-minute
"protocol visit" into a 5-plus hour marathon discussion
focused on energy issues. After SLN commented on some of the
GOP's challenges in coping with growing energy demands and
rising fuel prices, Castro replied at length on Cuba's
efforts to do likewise. Suggesting that Castro appeared
"obsessed" with energy efficiency and alternative
technologies, SLN said Castro expects Cuba will save $1
billion a year on imported oil simply by replacing
traditional light bulbs with more efficient florescent bulbs.
2. (C) SLN added that Castro avoided his usual rhetoric and
came across as pragmatic. He said that Castro told him that,
forty years ago, he disdained the economic advice of the
"Chicago boys," but that the "Moscow boys" who came later
were even worse. Castro told SLN that, although he would
never say so publicly, he considers himself a "socialistic
neoliberal" and counseled the GOP to "stay on track" with the
U.S. SLN said Castro basically dismissed Hugo Chavez as too
extreme with his criticism of the U.S.
EATON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN AND WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR ENRG ETRD PM CU
SUBJECT: VP/FORMIN LEWIS FINDS CASTRO "HEALTHY" AND
"PRAGMATIC"
Classified By: Ambassador William A. Eaton - Reasons 1.5(b and d)
1. (C) Panamanian First Vice President/Foreign Minister
Samuel Lewis Navarro (SLN) told Ambassador on March 23 that
he met for the first time with Fidel Castro in Cuba over the
March 18-19 weekend. He said Castro appeared to be in good
health, as he turned what SLN expected to be a 15-minute
"protocol visit" into a 5-plus hour marathon discussion
focused on energy issues. After SLN commented on some of the
GOP's challenges in coping with growing energy demands and
rising fuel prices, Castro replied at length on Cuba's
efforts to do likewise. Suggesting that Castro appeared
"obsessed" with energy efficiency and alternative
technologies, SLN said Castro expects Cuba will save $1
billion a year on imported oil simply by replacing
traditional light bulbs with more efficient florescent bulbs.
2. (C) SLN added that Castro avoided his usual rhetoric and
came across as pragmatic. He said that Castro told him that,
forty years ago, he disdained the economic advice of the
"Chicago boys," but that the "Moscow boys" who came later
were even worse. Castro told SLN that, although he would
never say so publicly, he considers himself a "socialistic
neoliberal" and counseled the GOP to "stay on track" with the
U.S. SLN said Castro basically dismissed Hugo Chavez as too
extreme with his criticism of the U.S.
EATON