PANAMA: EMBASSY BRIEFS INCOMING GOVERNMENT ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000571 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PM SUBJECT: PANAMA: EMBASSY BRIEFS INCOMING GOVERNMENT ON SECURITY STRATEGY Classified By: Charge David R. Gilmour for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) "You have saved us six months time getting started," Panama's Vice President and Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Varela told the Ambassador June 23, following a security briefing by the Embassy Law Enforcement and Security Working Group (LESWG) for the incoming GOP security leadership. Varela, Minister of Government and Justice Jose Raul Mulino and Attorney General Ana Matilde Gomez all reacted very positively to the Embassy's presentation, which they all said helped them understand the make up of the LESWG, and to see the unified strategy that guided all the different USG agencies. The briefing highlighted the excellent security cooperation the USG has enjoyed with Panama, the Embassy's assessment of the security challenges faced by Panama, and the Embassy's strategy for supporting Panama, including Merida Initiative programs and Post's 1207 proposal. Varela asked that such meetings be held every six months to keep the GOP leadership informed of the progress on security issues. End Summary. -------------- You Have Saved Us 6 Months -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador led the five hour briefing by the Embassy LESWG for the incoming administration's security leadership, led by Varela, Mulino and Gomez. The heads of all the major Panamanian security institutions attended the event, which was organized by NAS. Varela declared that the briefing gave the incoming leadership a full grasp of the Embassy's evaluation of the security situation, its capacity to assist, and the USG's strategic vision of how Panama should move forward to confront its security challenges. Attorney General Ana Matilde Gomez said that after five years in office the briefing had finally given her a good understanding of the USG's security strategy and operational structure. Mulino reacted by speaking very frankly about the GOP's determination to work with the Government of Colombia to increase the governmental presence on each side of their shared frontier, increase cooperation on immigration, and implement a demobilization campaign for the FARC. He emphasized the danger the increasing crime rate represented to Panama's economic development, and welcomed the USG's support. -------------- The Briefing -------------- ¶3. (C) The LESWG briefing stressed the shared security interests of Panama and the U.S., especially the continued stability of Panama in the face of international crime and narco-terrorism. Briefers laid out the threat posed to Panama by drug trafficking in Panama's territorial waters, and how this tended to strengthen the domestic gang threat by providing opportunities for local gangs to work for international drug trafficking organizations as they move the drugs on short hops along the coast, and transfer to land. The briefing stressed the links between the international drug trafficking threat and Panama's domestic crime wave. Briefers went on to show how the Embassy's proposed Darien strategy to increase government presence in areas with a FARC presence and increase police capability, to be funded in part with 1207 funds that have now received a preliminary approval, would support an overall strategy to confront criminality in Panama and promote democratic stability. The briefing also highlighted the Embassy's plans for Merida Initiative funding to promote community policing and develop youth programs to prevent young people from being recruited into gangs. -------------- Support for Merida -------------- ¶4. (C) Gomez praised the Embassy's focus on the growing gang problem in Panama through its Merida strategy, and said she would support it. Varela said he was happy with the emphasis USAID's Merida program placed on working with and strengthening existing NGOs and religious groups. He offered to provide resources to organize a meeting of stake holders interested in crime prevention programs. Varela also expressed interest in NAS's proposals to establish a body in the MOGJ to investigate high level and institutional corruption in the security services. PNP Director-designate Gustavo Perez and MOGJ Vice Minister of Public Security Alejandro Garuz both expressed their support for NAS's Merida-financed community police training program. Perez said that he strongly supported community policing, and would support NAS's program however he could. -------------- Strategic Planning -------------- ¶5. (C) The Ambassador stressed the importance of developing a strategic planning capability in the government, and especially for the development of the security services. Mulino said that they were bringing in McKinsy & Company consultants to look at the Ministry of Government and Justice (MOGJ) and the security services and develop a plan. Garuz said that he wanted to introduce a 15 year plan for the security services, laying out a strategy for acquiring equipment, improving training, and reforming the administration of the security services. He said he wanted to move uniformed officers out of administration and bring in civilian professionals to the MOGJ to improve the administration of the services. -------------- Other Deliverables -------------- ¶6. (C) Varela agreed to a public signing ceremony for the Assistance Agreement for USAID's ESF money within the first week of the new government (Note: the ceremony took place on July 7 End Note.) Varela also told Post CBP officer that the new government was interested in developing an Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) program with the USG, and that it would be a high priority for them. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) By putting USG security programs in their broader strategic context, demonstrating a united Embassy security team with strong leadership from the Ambassador, and showing the Embassy's concern for Panama's own security concerns, the briefing disarmed the suspicions of Varela and Mulino that they were being asked to use their scarce security resources to meet the needs of the USG in detriment to their own security needs. The key to the briefing's success was showing a close correlation between Panama's domestic crime problems and the international drug trafficking networks the Embassy targets. We were able to show that their connections were real, and that we were designing our strategy with an eye to protecting Panama's stability, and not just to catch more drugs. The leaders of the new government were also reassured that there was one unified Embassy security strategy under the leadership of the Ambassador, which would allow them to maintain control of their security relationship with the USG through the Ambassador. Varela and Mulino were visibly relieved after the briefing, while Gomez was thrilled to have been given an opportunity to understand the full breadth of US-Panamanian security cooperation. Post believes that the briefing has given us an excellent opportunity to develop relationships and expand security cooperation in a spirit of partnership that will benefit both nations. GILMOUR