PANAMA: TWO PRD WOMEN ACTIVISTS SHARE VIEWS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000715

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2017
TAGS: PGOV PM
SUBJECT: PANAMA: TWO PRD WOMEN ACTIVISTS SHARE VIEWS


Classified By: POLCOUNS BRIAN R. NARANJO. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D)

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Summary
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1. (C) Panamanian President Martin Torrijos "is a
completely different person these days," de facto PRD women's
group secretary Maribel Coco told POLREP on April 27.
"Before winning election, he had close contact with the party
structures, but now he ignores them." According to PRD
women's activist Irasema Rosas de Ahumada, Torrijos would
postpone the PRD's internal elections until February 2008.
Neither Coco nor De Ahumada were confident that Minister of
Housing (MIVI) Balbina Herrera could defeat former President
Ernesto "El Toro" Perez Balladares for the PRD Presidency.
Furthermore, both were highly critical of Balbina's support
for women within the PRD. De Ahumada shared some insights
into the race between First VP and FM Samuel Lewis and Panama
City Mayor Juan Carlos Navarro (who are first cousins) to
secure the PRD nomination to succeed Torrijos as President.
End Summary.

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Aloof Torrijos to Postpone PRD Internal Elections
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2. (C) Coco and De Ahumada noted that Torrijos would push
the PRD internal elections into next year, possibly February
2008, confirming what post had heard from multiple sources.
Both were also highly critical of Torrijos' leadership,
particularly of the PRD. (Note: Torrijos, in addition to
being President of the republic, is also Secretary General of
the PRD.) "He is a completely different person these days.
Before winning election, he had close contact with the party
structures, but now he ignores them," Coco asserted. De
Ahumada claimed that Torrijos had decided to postpone the
PRD's internal elections for three reasons:

-- Torrijos did not control the PRD's National Directive
Committee (CDN),the operational board of directors of the
party.
-- Torrijos wished to forestall the departure of PRD elected
officials and functionaries for the campaign trail. Instead,
Torrijos wanted to keep these PRD officials on the job and
focused on implementing his administration's initiatives. An
earlier initiation of the campaign season would limit the
government's ability to get things done and would thereby
damage the images of Torrijos and Lewis, Torrijos' choice to
succeed himself. Torrijos and Lewis "need to continue
inaugurating new projects to score points with the public,"
De Ahumada explained.
-- Torrijos did not care about the PRD any more and was
counting the days until he could enjoy his wealth.

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Can Balbina Defeat El Toro?
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3. (C) Neither PRD activist was confident that current
Minister of Housing (MIVI) Balbina Herrera could defeat
former President Ernesto "El Toro" Perez Balladares in the
race for President of the PRD. "We will only know after the
votes are counted," Coco said. Focusing on women's issues,
Coco added, "Balbina has done nothing to support the PRD's
women's agenda, and many women leaders in the party have
already voiced their disagreement with her candidacy for
party president." For example, Coco said that she had
organized a March event to celebrate International Women's
Day that was attended by 1,200 women. Coco requested the
support of the PRD's National Executive Committee (CEN);
"Torrijos gave us nothing. Balbina gave us nothing. (Panama
City Mayor and aspirant for the PRD presiential nomination)
Juan Carlos Navarro paid for the snacks and drinks. (Water
and Sanitation Director and candidate for PRD President) Juan
Jose Amado paid for the mariachis. El Toro surprised us all
by sending 1,200 red roses -- each with a message for each
lady -- he is so smart!"

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Insight into the Battle of the Cousins
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4. (C) De Ahumada noted that her family was divided on
whether to support First VP and FM Samuel Lewis Navarro or
Panama City Mayor Juan Carlos Navarro for the PRD's
nomination to be president of the republic. These first
cousins were viewed as the leading PRD options to succeed
Torrijos. "I support Lewis because Navarro is a crook," De
Ahumada said, "but my husband and two sons support Navarro."
Asserting that she frequently discussed Lewis' political
future with her brother-in-law and Lewis' closest MFA Senior
Advisor Adolfo Ahumada, she added, "Lewis should depart the
MFA soon and distance himself from Torrijos, but Adolfo does
not agree. My brother-in-law does not see that Lewis has
become Torrijos' shadow and that image will sink Lewis."

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Bio Notes
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5. (C) Maribel Coco is the Director of Senior Adult Affairs
at the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) and the de
facto PRD women's group secretary. She unsuccessfully ran
for the National Assembly in 2004, but will run again this
time against former National Maritime Service (SMN) Director
Ricardo Traad. "I can beat Traad easily," Coco bragged. "He
is too tied to (the) Rayo Montano (international drug
trafficking case),and I will remind voters of that."


6. (C) Irasema Rosas de Ahumada is the President of the
National Forum of Women in Political Parties. Presently, she
is the director of "Mi Pueblito," a Panama City outdoor
cultural park; De Ahumada was appointed by Navarro. One of
her sons is an assistant to National Assembly President Elias
Castillo, and the other son is a PRD precinct captain. She
is the sister-in-law to Adolfo Ahumada, Lewis closest advisor
at the MFA and a member of the board of the Panama Canal
Authority (ACP).

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Comment
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7. (C) Coco's and De Ahumada's comments provide a better
understanding of the to and fro within the PRD rank and file,
though post does not assess their analysis to be definitive.
Coco and De Ahumada confirm for post yet again that:
Torrijos is widely perceived by PRD rank and file to be
remote; the PRD's internal elections will be postponed to
early 2008; the race for PRD president will be between
Balbina and El Toro; and the race for the PRD nomination to
be president of the republic will be between Lewis and
Navarro.
EATON