PANAMA: POLITICAL COMMENTATOR PROVIDES INSIGHT ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000347 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2019 TAGS: PGOV PM PREL SUBJECT: PANAMA: POLITICAL COMMENTATOR PROVIDES INSIGHT ON POST-ELECTION LANDSCAPE Classified By: Classified by: Ambassador Barbara J. Stephenson for reas ons 1.4(b) and (d). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Ricardo Martinelli's Alliance for Change movement will perform well in next weekend's elections, and the PRD will be weakened but will regain strength and prepare for 2014, political commentator Alfredo Castillero told POLOFFS during lunch on April 23. Castillero noted that a Martinelli Administration, nonetheless, will have some surprises, probably referring to unexpected Cabinet appointments from various political parties. He also provided commentary on the individuals surrounding Martinelli's campaign and noted that Martinelli will have to realize that he cannot run the presidency like a business "because the public sector simply does not work that way." Castillero's assessment reiterates themes that Post has heard from other contacts in the run-up to the May 3 elections. His comments regarding a rocky transition period track with Post's impressions. The transition will be chaotic, and the Martinelli team is solely focused on winning the election on May 3, and has not begun thinking seriously about governing the country. -------------- PRD: Weakened, But Still Important Force -------------- ¶2. (C) "The ruling PRD will be weakened in the elections next weekend, but the party's strong history and large base of support will allow it to regain strength," political analyst Alfredo Castillero told political officers during lunch on April 23. The party's core values such as discipline, loyalty, and organization have helped its cohesiveness and allowed it to retain its large membership. (Note: The Electoral Tribunal statistics from December 2008 show PRD membership at over 660,000, making it by far Panama's largest party.) He explained that the dynamics of the PRD's presidential bid changed considerably after President Martin Torrijos decreed the security reforms in August 2008 and Balbina Herrera defeated Juan Carlos Navarro to win the party's presidential primary in September 2008. "Balbina's checkered past has hurt her campaign because Panamanians associate her with former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega," Castillero commented. Infighting within the PRD has weakened the normally disciplined party, and centrist members of the party -- such as Juan Carlos Navarro -- had difficulty in accepting her as the party's candidate. "Juan Carlos Navarro may emerge even stronger within the party as a result of an opposition presidential win," he explained. (Note: La Estrella daily published an article on April 23 which outlined four supposed factions in the PRD, which the daily claimed were led by Ernesto "El Toro" Perez Balladarez, Martin Torrijos, Balbina Herrera, and Juan Carlos Navarro.) ¶3. (C) Castillero predicted that the PRD would win approximately 30 National Assembly seats, which he characterized as a large opposition bloc, though short of a majority. (Note: The total number of National Assembly Deputies will decrease from 78 to 71 with this election, and 36 Deputies will constitute a majority). Although he would not predict the number of National Assembly Deputies that the Panamenista Party would win, he noted that the Panamenista Party will be essential to a probable opposition majority in the National Assembly. Castillero noted that it has been difficult for the Panamenista Party to assume second billing to a Democratic Change candidate for the national ticket, but the party is looking forward. "Mireya Moscoso has already touted herself as the candidate to assume the party presidency in 2011," Castillero said. -------------- Martinelli's Decisionmaking Style, Advisors -------------- ¶4. (C) "Although Martinelli has a reputation of not listening to anyone before he makes decisions, he actually does listen to those around him, but then retreats to make his own decisions. A Martinelli Administration, nonetheless, will have some surprises," Castillero commented, probably referring to unexpected Cabinet appointments from various political parties. Key individuals who have surrounded Martinelli include lead advisor Jimmy Papadimitriu, Frank de Lima, Roxana Mendez, and Alma Cortez, according to Castillero. Castillero insinuated that Frank de Lima was a bit too rigid and young to be Minister of Economy and Finance, a post for which de Lima had been rumored to be a candidate. Roxana Mendez was a respected proponent of social welfare, according to Castillero. (Note: Roxana Mendez is the running mate of Alliance for Change mayoral candidate for Panama City, Bosco Vallarino.) Castillero speculated that if Vallarino wins the mayoral race and Mendez were offered a Cabinet position -- most likely the Ministry of Social Development -- she would resign from her mayoral duties to serve in the Cabinet. Castillero described Alma Cortez as one of Martinelli's main lawyers and the legal face of his campaign. He said that in a Martinelli administration, Cortez would probably be offered a legal appointment but expressed misgivings about that prospect. "Cortez has made a lot of enemies over the years because she has relentlessly pushed legal cases to lengthy appeals processes in order to reach settlements," Castillero said. ¶5. (C) "Martinelli and his running mate Juan Carlos Varela have a good personal relationship, and they had been talking to each other long before they made official their opposition alliance," Castillero commented. He said that they had agreed in January 2008 that the opposition candidate who was leading in the polls by early 2009 would run as the opposition presidential candidate while the other would assume the VP role. (Note: This agreement is often referred to as the Pese Pact (Pacto Pese).) Nonetheless, Castillero acknowledged that Martinelli did not help the personal relationship between the two when he publicly declared that Varela would head the public transportation reform effort because it sets Varela up to fail on a complicated project and probably will prevent him from assuming a key Cabinet position, such as Minister of Foreign Affairs. ¶6. (C) "Martinelli will need to realize that he cannot run the presidency like a business. The public sector simply does not work that way," Castillero noted. He commented that he has heard from friends who are part of Martinelli's team that Martinelli has run his campaign in a rigid manner. For example, Castillero said his friend was afraid to arrive late for work or make any personal calls during business hours. -------------- -- Political Background of Democratic Change Party -------------- -- ¶7. (C) "Not all Panamanians who support Martinelli are in favor of his liberal economic policies, but his promise of repairing the country's problems through change drives his popularity," Castillero said. He explained that the Democratic Change (CD) party was not yet institutionalized but rather was centered around Martinelli's personality, his social promises, and dissatisfaction with the ruling PRD. Politics in Panama are based on patronage rather than a particular ideology, and Martinelli seems to be winning that race, according to Castillero. -------------- -------------- Panama City's Mayoral Race: "A Sad State of Affairs" -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C) Castillero lamented the "sad state of affairs" in the contest for Panama City's mayoral seat; he had no doubt (though no absolute proof) that PRD candidate Roberto "Bobby" Velasquez received money from alleged Colombian money-launderer David Murcia but noted that this would not be a shock to most Panamanians and it would probably not greatly affect the outcome of the race. He conceded that the Alliance for Change candidate Bosco Vallarino was a terrible candidate and noted that Vallarino's vigil pleading for permission to run for mayor despite questions about his U.S.-Panamanian dual citizenship was "shameless." (Note: After controversy surrounding the possible disqualification of Vallarino's candidacy due to his dual citizenship, the Electoral Tribunal in mid-April declared Vallarino's mayoral eligibility.) Castillero said that because of Panama's centralized government system, it would strengthen the opposition if the Alliance for Change won both the presidency and the Panama City mayoral race. Nonetheless, the mayor of Panama City does not have much power "other than collecting the garbage," Castillero noted. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶9. (C) Alfredo Castillero, whose last GOP position was serving as MFA Director General for External Political Affairs in the Moscoso Administration, professes not to be registered with any political party, but his sympathies are generally understood to lie with the opposition in general and the Panamenista Party in particular. Castillero's assessment reiterates themes that Post has heard from other contacts -- such as the impending difficult transition period and the trouble that the Panamenista Party has had in assuming second billing to the CD on the election ballot. Nonetheless, Castillero stopped short of calling this election "revolutionary" and assessed that the PRD will weather the current political storm, regroup, and prepare for ¶2014. His comments regarding a rocky transition period track with Post's impressions and do not assuage our fears that the transition will be chaotic. It is abundantly clear that the Martinelli team is solely focused on the May 3 election date and has not prepared to begin governing the country. STEPHENSON