GANGS GARNERING PUBLIC ATTENTION, BUT TRANSNATIONAL AND

UNCLAS PANAMA 000517 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM PM SUBJECT: GANGS GARNERING PUBLIC ATTENTION, BUT TRANSNATIONAL AND TRAFFICKING LINKAGES MINIMAL REF: A) Panama 505 B) Panama 245 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: A deadly March 21 fire that ensued following the outbreak of violence motivated the GOP to introduce anti-crime legislation on April 4 that includes provisions for longer detention of juvenile offenders (Ref A). Prominent media attention to gang-related violence has raised alarm bells with the public. Panama's major cities do appear to have seen a rise in gang violence. However, there is little evidence of close ties to Maras or other major gang organizations in Central America. In addition, we estimate that major drug organizations do not use local gangs for trafficking purposes. End Summary. ¶2. (U) On March 21, a gang turf battle led to a deadly fire in the impoverished Curundu area of Panama City. A subsequent raid of the area by police yielded the arrest of dozens of alleged gang members, most of them under age 18. Media reporting of the next-day release of all but one of the arrestees highlighted the weakness of local laws regarding arrest and detention of juvenile offenders. ¶3. (U) In his March 29 address to the nation, President Torrijos announced the imminent introduction to the National Assembly of an anti-crime bill (Ref A). Among other provisions, this bill includes a package of reforms aimed at combating juvenile and gang-related crimes, such increasing the post-arrest maximum detention period as well the ceiling for prison time for crimes committed as a minor. Torrijos draft legislation was delivered to the National Assembly on April 3, and the National Assembly, which has fast-tracked the bill, will begin debate following Easter. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: The Embassy Law Enforcement Working Group (LESWG) met on April 4 to discuss the gang dynamic in Panama and concluded that, while small local gangs engage in regular criminal activity, they did not have direct links to major gang entities in Central America, such as the Maras. In addition, post estimated that Panamanian gangs did engage in small scale drug selling, but they were not regularly used by major trafficking organizations for moving large quantities of drugs. The LESWG agreed to continue to work closely with the police, however, in training and provision of equipment to keep on top of the evolution of local gangs. Post will continue to track the gang phenomenon in coming months and report significant developments. ARREAGA