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### Viewing cable 09PANAMA905, Guidance Request: DEA Wiretap Program

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09PANAMA905 | 2009-12-24 16:04 | 2010-12-25 21:09 | SECRET//NOFORN | Embassy Panama

`

    VZCZCXYZ0002
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHZP #0905/01 3581659
    ZNY SSSSS ZZH
    R 241658Z DEC 09
    FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0235
    INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
    RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
    RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
    RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
    RHMFISS/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
    RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
    RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
    RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
    RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
    RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0058
    RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
    RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
    RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR
    RUEHTG/AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA 0056
    RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

` `

    S E C R E T PANAMA 000905

    NOFORN
    SIPDIS
    MEXICO AND EL SALVADOR FOR DEA

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/24
    TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR PINR ASEC KJUS PM
    SUBJECT: Guidance Request: DEA Wiretap Program

    REF: PANAMA 639; PANAMA 699; PANAMA 777; PANAMA 776; PANAMA 799
    PANAMA 877; PANAMA 901

    CLASSIFIED BY: David Gilmour, DCM, State, EXEC; REASON: 1.4(B), (D)

    ¶1.  (U) This is an action request, see para 8.

    ¶2. (S//NF) Since July 2009, Embassy Panama has grappled with
    President Martinelli's desire to involve the USG in his efforts to
    construct a wiretap program that would target his domestic
    political opponents.  Refs A, B and C document the sequence of
    events in which the president and subordinates employed a variety
    of tactics ranging from straightforward requests to intimidating
    threats, in order to obtain USG assistance and/or political cover
    for his wiretap project.  Ample additional reporting on this topic
    is available in other agency channels.

    ¶3. (S//NF) From the time of our very first discussion with the GOP
    on this subject in July until now, we have clearly and consistently
    told all senior GOP officials that the USG will only conduct
    limited law enforcement wiretap programs in cooperation with
    Panamanian law enforcement and judicial authorities, directed only
    against genuine law enforcement targets, in a process managed by a
    Panamanian prosecutor and approved by a Panamanian supreme court
    judge.

    ¶4. (S//NF) Since our decision in late September (Ref B) to remove
    the DEA Matador wiretap program from control of the GOP's Council
    for Public Security and National Defense (CSPDN), we have
    confronted a series of obstacles, including threats from the CSPDN
    director to expel the DEA from Panama (Ref C) and restrict payments
    to vetted units (Ref G), and generally weak support for the move
    from Martinelli and senior GOP leaders.  Martinelli's distrust of
    Panama's attorney general (Ref D) has complicated the issue and he
    and his subordinates have repeatedly proposed alternative
    arrangements that would keep the Matador program within CSPDN, but
    would not fully maintain the "firewall" between law enforcement and
    intelligence activities.

    ¶5. (S//NF) We are still hopeful that we can complete the Matador
    move out of CSPDN early in the new year, but if we are unable to do
    so, we are faced with a difficult decision.  If Matador remains in
    CSPDN, the GOP will continue its efforts to change procedures to
    weaken judicial controls over the program.  CSPDN director Olmedo
    Alfaro has told Embassy officers that the GOP plans to introduce
    legislation that would create a special judge to approve GOP
    wiretap targets on short notice.  With Panama's notoriously corrupt
    judicial system (rated 103 out of 133 by the World Economic Forum),
    we are not confident that the new judge will uphold the same
    standards and civil liberties protections that the Panama supreme
    court has exercised in its oversight of Matador to date.

    ¶6. (S//NF) All of this comes at a time when Panama's judicial
    institutions are under assault by the executive, with Martinelli's
    strong political pressure on the attorney general (Ref D) and the
    controversial appointment of two Martinelli political cronies to
    the supreme court (septel).  For several weeks the Panamanian media

    has carried a steady stream of criticism of Martinelli's actions,
    and most observers believe that the country's already weak justice
    system is suffering serious body blows.

    ¶7. (S//NF) The Matador wiretap program is a valuable law
    enforcement tool, but we believe that the USG must not compromise
    democratic values in the employment of that tool.  The United
    States itself has recently experienced a difficult debate over
    civil liberties and democratic principles being compromised in the
    name of security.  We should not be a participant in questionable
    activities in Panama.  The recent DAS scandal in Colombia
    illustrates the catastrophic consequences of politically motivated
    wiretaps, and such a scenario could easily unfold in Panama if the
    GOP continues its present course of action.  If we cannot guarantee
    with a high level of confidence that the Matador program will not
    be misused for political purposes, then we prefer to suspend the
    program.

    ¶8. (SBU) Post requests Department coordinate with other stakeholder
    agencies to provide advice on a way forward.  While we at post are
    in the strongest position to provide views on the operational
    impact of suspending the program, stakeholder agencies in
    Washington can best provide the perspective on the legal and policy
    factors against which the operational impact should be weighed.  We
    will be pleased to provide extensive additional background material
    and technical details as requested.
    STEPHENSON

    ..

`