PANAMA BRACES FOR NORIEGA'S RETURN

UNCLAS PANAMA 000544

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR WHA/CEN, INL AND INR/B
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA BRACES FOR NORIEGA'S RETURN

SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) On Thursday, March 16 Panamanian newspapers
reported in banner headlines that the U.S. Federal Bureau of
Prisons plans to release former Panamanian dictator Manuel
Antonio Noriega on September 9, 2007, after 17 years in a
Tampa, Florida prison, and that Noriega would return to
Panama. Noriega has been convicted in Panama for several
murders and other crimes that carry 20-year sentences. The
GOP claims that two of its extradition requests are pending
before the USG since the 1990's. The Supreme Court and the
Public Ministry are already jockeying for control of the
case. End summary.

GOP reactions
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2. (U) The GOP reacted immediately. Following the March 16
headlines, President Torrijos firmly stated that Noriega's
return is not a political issue, but a judicial one that
should be handled by the Supreme Court according to the
Constitution just like with any other Panamanian citizen.
Vice President/Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis backed by
Panamanian Ambassador in the U.S. Federico Humbert, publicly
stated that Noriega's release is a "judicial" issue and that
the GOP would only transmit to the USG any request for
extradition coming from the authorities.


3. (U) Separately, Attorney General Ana Matilde Gomez
announced that the Public Ministry is ready to request
Noriega's extradition as well. Gomez has asked Public
Ministry officers to submit updated reports on Noriega's
convictions in Panama, to include any pending cases against
him. (Note: Noriega has two 20-year convictions for the
murders of military officers who opposed him; a 15-year
conviction for the murder of physician Hugo Spadafora; an 8-
year conviction for embezzlement; a 5-year conviction for
alien smuggling; and finally an 18-month conviction for
illicit enrichment. Convictions in Panama always are served
concurrently. End note.)


4. (SBU) MFA Director for Legal Affairs Iana Quadri,
backing Lewis and Humbert, told Emboff that Panamanian law
requires extradition requests of convicted felons to come
from the Supreme Court. Quadri added that in some cases,
the Public Ministry is also authorized to make extradition
requests. In either case, Panama's MFA would be the
authority channeling the request to the USG. Quadri claimed
that MFA has two extradition requests for Noriega pending.

Comment
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5. (SBU) The GOP clearly was eager to pass the ball to the
judiciary to avoid any taint from Noriega. But is the GOP
also hedging its bets? In 2005 President Torrijos appointed
Noriega's daughter, Sandra, to a consular post in the
Dominican Republic. Just last week, the Ministry of Foreign
Relations appointed Noriega's youngest daughter, Thais, as
an entry-level diplomat. (In fact, Thais Noriega entered
Panama's Foreign Service with nine others. All ten got
failing grades on the entrance exam, although Thais got the
highest marks of the ten. Foreign Minister Lewis decided to
admit all ten.) Panamanians have mixed feelings on whether
Noriega should return to Panama or not. There is no doubt
that Panamanians want Noriega to pay for his crimes, yet
many feel that his return to Panama could be dangerous.
Noriega still has friends here. He undoubtedly has large
amounts of money stashed away. He knows lots of
incriminating details about many people in and out of
government. He could end up escaping from prison. Lack of
security in prisons as well as corrupted officials have
allowed criminals to escape in the past. Panamanians have
no guarantee that Noriega would not do the same.

Eaton