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### Viewing cable 09PANAMA626, MARTINELLI'S SECURITY LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09PANAMA626 | 2009-08-17 19:10 | 2011-05-28 00:00 | SECRET//NOFORN | Embassy Panama

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHZP #0626/01 2291910
    ZNY SSSSS ZZH
    R 171910Z AUG 09
    FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3664
    INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2841
    RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 0798
    RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA 0644
    RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 3853
    RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 2039
    RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR 1569
    RUEHTG/AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA 0439
    RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
    RHMFISS/DIRJIATF SOUTH
    RUEABND/DEA WASHDC
    RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
    RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
    RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
    RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

` `

    S E C R E T PANAMA 000626

    NOFORN
    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2019
    TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PM
    SUBJECT: MARTINELLI'S SECURITY LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY
    REMAIN UNCLEAR

    REF: PANAMA 00571

    Classified By: Ambassador Barbara J. Stephenson for
    reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

    --------------------------
    Security Leadership Muddle
    --------------------------

    ¶1.  (S//NF)  Six weeks into the Martinelli Administration,
    the make up of the GOP security leadership is complicated and
    unclear.  The Minister of Government and Justice Jose Raul
    Mulino is exerting control over formal communications between
    the Embassy and the various security services, but there is
    little sign that the MOGJ is exerting either strategic or
    tactical control over the security services. Individual
    service chiefs, including Panamanian National Police (PNP)
    Director Gustavo Perez, National Aero-Naval Service (SENAN)
    Director Rigoberto Gordon, and National Frontier Service
    (SENAFRONT) Director Frank Abrego seem to be treating the
    MOGJ only as an administrative facilitator to process budget
    requests. On operational issues, both tactical and strategic,
    they are acting on their own, with minimal coordination among
    themselves, and with no strategic leadership from above. What
    coordination there is among security services, is usually the
    result of Embassy intervention. Multiple sources report that
    the service chiefs and other officials responsible for
    security are under intense pressure from President Martinelli
    to deliver immediate results.

    ¶2.  (S//NF)  This situation has been exacerbated by the
    creation of the Secretariat for Security in the Ministry of
    the Presidency, to which former drug prosecutor Jose Almengor
    was recently appointed. Vice Minister of Government and
    Justice for Security Alejandro Garuz told PolOff August 3
    that Almengor's job description was very similar to his own,
    and that the Minister of Government and Justice, Jose Raul
    Mulino, was not sure what Almengor's job was, or how it would
    effect the Vice Ministry of Security. Jaime Trujillo,
    Executive Secretary of the Council for Public Security and
    National Defense (CSPDN or Consejo), told EmbOff August 8
    that Almengor was "just Jimmy's security advisor" in
    reference to Minister of the Presidency Jimmy Papadimitriu,
    and did not have a significant security role. Mulino was
    later quoted in the newspaper suggesting that Almengor's
    office might become the nucleus of a future Ministry of
    Security.

    --------------------------------------------- -
    Varela Concerned, Plans to Play a Greater Role
    --------------------------------------------- -

    ¶3.  (S//NF)  VP/FM Juan Carlos Varela told the Ambassador
    August 4 that he was concerned about the fragmented and
    chaotic manner in which security policy was being made. He
    said that there was a struggle for power over the security
    apparatus between Mulino and Papadimitriu, and that as a
    result he intended to intervene and take personal control of
    the security issue. He asked the Ambassador to coordinate the
    Embassy's security agenda directly with him in bi-monthly
    meetings.

    --------------
    Mulino's Role?
    --------------

    ¶4.  (S//NF)  On July 24 Charge met with Mulino to get a read
    out of his recent trip to Colombia, where press reports
    indicated security agreements had been reached. In a two hour
    meeting, Mulino described at length the Colombian prison
    system, and how he hoped to improve the Panamanian prison
    system. Mulino made general remarks about the high level of
    the Colombian delegation, but did not elaborate on any
    agreements, and stayed focused solely on prisons.  According

    to Manuel Zambrano, the new Director of the Integral Security
    Program (PROSI) at MOGJ, the Inter-American Development Bank
    (IDB) is investing in an analytical and strategic planning
    unit in the MOGJ as part of the $20 million loan the IDB gave
    Panama several years ago to improve citizen security. While
    this unit could be very helpful, Mulino's apparent weakness
    on security issues calls into question whether such a unit
    will be able to play a useful role without an empowered
    minister.

    -----------------------
    Trujillo Up to the Job?
    -----------------------

    ¶5.  (S//NF)  During most of the Torrijos Administration, the
    security coordinating role largely fell to the Consejo, where
    Secretary General Erik Espinosa and his deputy Javier
    Fletcher maintained tight operational control over all the
    security services, and coordination with the USG. While they
    were effective in some ways, their somewhat unsavory
    reputation led Colombia and Mexico to restrict their security
    cooperation with Panama, all of which had to run through
    Consejo. Martinelli's removal of both men apparently prompted
    better cooperation with Colombia. However, it is not clear
    that Trujillo, who until July 1 was the head of security at
    Martinelli's Super 99 super market chain, is really up to the
    job. There are indications that the new deputy, Aldo Macre,
    may be very competent, and that he has a very good working
    relationship with Trujillo. Nevertheless, it remains to be
    seen how much power he will have to pull the security
    apparatus together in a coherent way.

    -----------------------
    McKinsey to the Rescue?
    -----------------------

    ¶6.  (S//NF)  The GOP has hired the U.S. consulting company
    McKinsey to help them with strategic planning. They are
    working on a government wide proposal, and one specifically
    aimed at improving the security system. Post is cooperating
    closely with McKinsey, which is basing its recommendations on
    the same set of best practices Post has used (focus on gang
    prevention, community policing, strengthening the police as
    an institution, including effective internal affairs), in the
    hope that the government will accept the advice for which
    they are paying.

    -------
    Comment
    -------

    ¶6.  (S//NF)  It is unclear to Post if Varela can bring
    coherence to the GOP security muddle, but he is smart,
    rational, and clearly committed to strengthening Panama's
    democratic institutions, so we will do our best to help him
    succeed.  Given the weak and muddled security leadership at
    the moment, Post will proceed cautiously as we build up high
    level GOP support for our various security initiatives,
    knowing that a "yes" from one actor may have no buy-in beyond
    that actor. We will keep all USG entities informed about
    progress in developing a coherent security strategy in order
    to minimize the risk of USG entities getting drawn into
    uncoordinated and potentially harmful initiatives - and there
    is no shortage of them at this early stage of the Martinelli
    government.

    STEPHENSON

`