Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 14243 / 251,287

### Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden 00. Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Jordan Yemen

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03 2011/04 2011/05 2011/06
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19 2011/03/20 2011/03/21 2011/03/22 2011/03/23 2011/03/24 2011/03/25 2011/03/26 2011/03/27 2011/03/28 2011/03/29 2011/03/30 2011/03/31
2011/04/01 2011/04/02 2011/04/03 2011/04/04 2011/04/05 2011/04/06 2011/04/07 2011/04/08 2011/04/09 2011/04/10 2011/04/11 2011/04/12 2011/04/13 2011/04/14 2011/04/15 2011/04/16 2011/04/17 2011/04/18 2011/04/19 2011/04/20 2011/04/21 2011/04/22 2011/04/23 2011/04/24 2011/04/25 2011/04/26 2011/04/27 2011/04/28 2011/04/29 2011/04/30
2011/05/01 2011/05/02 2011/05/03 2011/05/04 2011/05/05 2011/05/06 2011/05/07 2011/05/08 2011/05/09 2011/05/10 2011/05/11 2011/05/12 2011/05/13 2011/05/14 2011/05/15 2011/05/16 2011/05/17 2011/05/18 2011/05/19 2011/05/20 2011/05/21 2011/05/22 2011/05/23 2011/05/24 2011/05/25 2011/05/26 2011/05/27 2011/05/28 2011/05/29 2011/05/30 2011/05/31
2011/06/01 2011/06/02 2011/06/03

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1985/03 1985/05 1985/06
1986/05
1987/06
1988/01 1988/03 1988/07 1988/08
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05
1992/01 1992/03 1992/06 1992/09 1992/12
1993/01 1993/10
1994/12
1995/04
1996/07 1996/11
1997/06 1997/10 1997/12
2000/05 2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/06 2001/07 2001/09 2001/10 2001/11
2002/01 2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/07 2002/08 2002/09 2002/11 2002/12
2003/01 2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Apia Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Auckland Consulate Amsterdam Consulate Adana American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belmopan Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Belfast Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dili Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown Consulate Fukuoka
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guayaquil Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Ho Chi Minh City Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamilton Consulate Hamburg Consulate Halifax
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kingston Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul Consulate Kolkata Consulate Karachi
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lahore Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE Mission USNATO Mission UNESCO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manila Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Mumbai Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia Embassy Niamey Embassy New Delhi Embassy Ndjamena Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples Consulate Naha
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Of Spain Embassy Port Louis Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito Consulate Quebec
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Suva Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate St Petersburg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sapporo Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Toronto Consulate Tijuana Consulate Thessaloniki
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Office Almaty US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Embassy Valletta Consulate Vladivostok Consulate Vancouver
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ASEC AEMR AMGT AR APECO AU AORC AJ AF AFIN AS AM AFFAIRS AA AG ADM ALOW ACOA ARABL ATRN AID AND APER ADANA APEC ADPM ADCO AL AADP AMED AY AORG ASEAN ABUD AROC ABLD AE AO APCS ARF AINF AODE AGAO ACABQ AX AMEX AZ ASUP ARM AQ ATFN AMBASSADOR ACBAQ AFSI AFSN AC ASIG ASEX AER AVERY AGRICULTURE ASCH AFU AMG ATPDEA ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AORL AN AIT ANET AGMT ACS AGR AMCHAMS AECL AUC AFGHANISTAN ACAO
BR BB BG BEXP BY BA BRUSSELS BU BD BK BL BH BM BTIO BO BE BX BIDEN BC BP BILAT BF BBSR BT BMGT BWC BN BTIU
CPAS CA CASC CS CBW CIDA CO CODEL CI CROS CU CH CWC CMGT CVIS CDG CD CV CG CF CHIEF CJAN CBSA CE CY CT CM CR CONS CW CN CDC CONDOLEEZZA CICTE CYPRUS COUNTRY CBE COM CTR COUNTER CIVS CFED CARSON COPUOS CKGR CHR CVR CLINTON COUNTERTERRORISM CITEL CLEARANCE COE CARICOM CB CSW CIC CITT CARIB CAFTA CACM CDB CJUS CTM CAN CONSULAR CLMT CBC CIA CNARC CIS CEUDA CAC CL CACS CAPC
DR DJ DHS DAO DCM DO DEFENSE DOMESTIC DK DOD DA DE DPRK DEPT DEA DISENGAGEMENT DOE DTRA DS DEAX
ECON ETTC EFIS ETRD EC EMIN EAGR EAID EU EFIN EUN ECIN EG EWWT EINV ENRG ELAB EPET EN EAIR EUMEM ECPS ELTN EIND EZ EI ER ET EINT ECONOMIC ENIV EFTA ES ECONOMY ELECTIONS ERNG ENERG EK EDEV EPA ENGR ETRC ENVI EXTERNAL ELN EAIDS ECA EDU EINVEFIN EFINECONCS ECOSOC EUREM ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EXIM ETC ENVR EAP EINN EXBS ENGY ECONOMICS EIAR EINDETRD ECONEFIN EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS ECIP EFIM EREL EINVETC ECONCS ETRA ESA EAIG EUR EUC ERD ETRN EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ESENV ENNP ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN
FI FR FAS FOREIGN FTAA FREEDOM FBI FINANCE FAA FJ FTA FARC FAC FAO FINR FDA FM FOR FOI FO FMLN FISO
GM GG GERARD GT GA GR GTIP GLOBAL GV GH GL GOV GOI GF GTMO GANGS GE GCC GAERC GZ GAZA GY GUILLERMO GASPAR
HR HO HA HYMPSK HK HUMAN HU HILLARY HI HUM HURI HSTC HEBRON HUMOR
IZ IN IAEA IS IMO ILO IR IC IT ITU IV IMF IBRD IWC IRAQI IDB ISRAELI ITALY ITPGOV ITALIAN INDO ICAO ITRA IPR INMARSAT ID ICRC INTERNAL IIP IRS ILC IO ICJ IEFIN ICTY IQ IA INTERPOL IEA INR INRB IAHRC ISRAEL IZPREL IRAJ IF ITPHUM IL IACI IDA ISLAMISTS IGAD ITF INRA INRO IBET INTELSAT IDP ICTR IRC
JA JO JM JP JUS JAMES JOSEPH JOHNNIE JOHN JIMENEZ
KNNP KFLO KDEM KOMC KSUM KIPR KFLU KPAO KE KCRM KJUS KAWC KZ KSCA KDRG KCOR KGHG KPAL KTIP KMCA KCRS KPKO KOLY KRVC KVPR KG KWBG KMDR KTER KSPR KV KTFN KWMN KFRD KSTH KS KN KISL KGIC KSEP KFIN KTEX KTIA KUNR KCMR KMOC KCIP KTDB KBIO KU KIDE KSTC KICC KIRC KSEO KSAF KIRF KR KNUP KOCI KCSY KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KMPI KNUC KPAONZ KHLS KPRP KHDP KHIV KTRD KNAR KWAC KTAO KJUST KTBT KCRCM KNPP KMRS KBTS KHSA KMFO KSCI KAWK KPRV KNNPMNUC KACT KENV KERG KBCT KPWR KO KVIR KFSC KPIR KCFE KX KCOM KAID KTLA KPOA KNDP KVRP KRCM KCFC KNEI KCHG KPLS KREL KFTFN KTFM KLIG KDEMAF KRAD KBTR KGIT KGCC KICA KHUM KSEC KPIN KESS KDEV KWWMN KOM KWNM KRFD KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KRGY KREC KIFR KSAC KWMNCS KPAK KOMS KFPC KRIM KDDG KCGC KPAI KID KMIG KNSD KWMM
LY LE LABOR LU LA LI LTTE LG LO LH LAB LT LOG
MARR MX MASS MOPS MNUC MCAP MTCRE ML MR MRCRE MTRE MASC MY MK MAS MO MIL MAPP MTCR MG MD MAR MP MZ MU MA MOPPS MTS MLS MILI MEPN MEPI MEETINGS MERCOSUR MW MT MCC MIK MAPS MV MILITARY MARAD MDC MEPP MASSMNUC MUCN MEDIA MI MQADHAFI MPOS MPS MC
NZ NATO NI NO NG NL NU NPT NS NC NA NATIONAL NP NSF NDP NIPP NSSP NE NGO NAS NR NZUS NH NSG NAFTA NEW NRR NT NASA NAR NK NOVO NATOPREL NEA NSC NV NPA NSFO NW NORAD NPG
OTRA OECD OVIP OREP OPRC ODC OIIP OPDC OAS OSCE OPIC OMS OEXC OPCW OPAD ODIP OVIPPRELUNGANU OIE OFDP OSCI OHUM OFFICIALS OTR OMIG OSAC OBSP OFDA OVP ON OCII OES OCS OIC
PGOV PREL PARM PINR PHUM PM PREF PTER PK PINS PBIO PHSA PE PBTS PL POL PAK POV POLITICS POLICY PERL PA PPA PCI PAS PALESTINIAN PROP PREZ PTE POLITICAL PAIGH PO PROG PJUS PMIL PG PGOF PARMS PDOV PSI PREO PTERE PAO PRAM PINO PRGOV PORG PP PS PKFK PSOE PEPR PDEM PINT PMAR PRELP PREFA PNG PTBS PFOR PUNE PGOVLO PHUMBA PNAT POLINT PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PY PLN PHUH PEDRO PF PHUS PU PARTIES PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PHUMPREL POGOV PEL PINL PBT PINF PRL PSEPC POSTS PAHO PHUMPGOV PGOC PNR PROV
QA
RS RP RU RW RFE RCMP RIGHTSPOLMIL RM ROBERT RICE RO RELAM ROOD REGION RSP RF RELATIONS RIGHTS RUPREL REMON REACTION REPORT RSO
SZ SENV SOCI SNAR SY SO SP SU SI SMIG SYR SA SCUL SG SW SR SYRIA SNARM SPECIALIST SC SEN SF SENVSXE SL SAARC SNARIZ STEINBERG SARS SCRS SWE SN SAN ST SIPDIS SSA SPCVIS SOFA SENVKGHG SANC SHI SEVN SHUM SK SH SNARCS SPCE SNARN SIPRS
TRGY TBIO TSPA TU TPHY TI TX TH TIP TSPL TNGD TP TW TZ TF TN TC TS TT TK TD TERRORISM TWI TL TV TO TRSY TURKEY TINT TFIN TAGS TR TBID THPY
UNSC UK UNGA UN US USTR UZ USEU UV UG UP UNAUS UNMIK UY UR USPS UNSCR UNHRC UNMIC UNESCO UNCHR USUN UNHCR USGS UNEP USOAS USAID USNC UE UNVIE UAE UNO UNDP UNODC UNCHS UNFICYP UNDESCO UNC UNPUOS UNDC UNICEF UNCHC UNCSD UNFCYP UNIDROIT UNCND
VE VM VT VZ VTEG VTIZ VTPREL VENZ VAT VC VI VN
WHTI WIPO WTRO WS WHO WTO WZ WI WMD WBG WWARD WHA WITH WTRQ WEU WMO WA WFP WB
XA XR XW XX XK XL XM XS XF XG XT XH XB XU XY XV XD XC XZ XE XQ XI XTAG
YI YM YL YE YMCS
ZU ZI ZP ZR ZOELLICK ZF ZL ZJ ZB ZO ZEALAND ZN ZA ZK ZANU

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 08PANAMA14, PANAMA: FIRST VP AND FM SAMUEL LEWIS' FIRST 2008

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08PANAMA14.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08PANAMA14 | 2008-01-04 16:21 | 2011-05-31 00:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Panama

`

    VZCZCXYZ0017
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHZP #0014/01 0041621
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    R 041621Z JAN 08
    FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1605
    INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
    RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 2648
    RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1157
    RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0205
    RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
    RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
    RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
    RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
    RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0087
    RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0306

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000014

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/03/2018
    TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC VE CU PM
    SUBJECT: PANAMA:  FIRST VP AND FM SAMUEL LEWIS' FIRST 2008
    MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR

    REF: 2007 STATE 170857 AGREMENT CHANNEL

    Classified By: Ambassador William A. Eaton.  Reasons:  1.4
    (b) and (d).

    -------
    Summary
    -------

    ¶1.  (C) Panamanian First VP and FM Samuel Lewis touched up:

    -- President Martin Torrijos' impending trip to Cuba and
    perceived Cuba-Venezuela tensions; -- his exasperation at
    Chavez's ability to rise like a phoenix;
    -- his February travel to New York during Panama's UNSC
    Presidency; and
    -- Torrijos' continuing clashes with PMG over internal party
    elections, Supreme Court magistrate nominees, and the budget

    during his January 2 meeting with Ambassador.  (Note:
    Ambassador presented reftel demarche and diplomatic note
    during this meeting.  (SEPTEL)) End Summary.

    ----------------
    Torrijos to Cuba
    ----------------

    ¶2.  (C) "In the next week or two" Torrijos would be traveling
    to Cuba to accompany his daughter for medical exams, Lewis
    informed Ambassador.  "Of course, he will have to meet with
    Cuban officials while he is there."  Lewis added that
    Torrijos would try to secure appointments with Raul Castro
    and others to get "a first-hand feel of the mood and emerging
    politics."

    ¶3.  (C) "It's clear that Raul and Chavez have very strained
    relations," Lewis asserted, reflecting on his last trip to
    Cuba a couple of months ago.  While Chavez and Castro
    obviously had a very close relationship, in Chavez's mind
    Chavez came next after Castro in the "pecking order,"
    something that did not endear Chavez to Raul or to Raul's
    camp followers.  Lewis asserted that friction between Cuba
    and Venezuela was evident in a number of conversations that
    he had with a broad range of Cuba officials.  Lewis promised
    that he would provide a read-out of Torrijos' upcoming visit.

    -----------------------
    The Phoenix-like Chavez
    -----------------------

    ¶4. (C) Noting that Chavez was "bloodied" after his failed
    referendum, Lewis expressed his frustration and bewilderment
    about the sudden turn of events "in favor of Chavez" with
    respect to his efforts to broker the release of FARC
    hostages.  The discovery and arrest of "Chavez's agents"
    delivering bags of money to Argentina should have been a blow
    to Chavez as well.  ("I am still scratching my head about
    (Argentine President) Cristina Fernandez's reaction to the
    arrests in Miami," Lewis added. "She should have taken the
    high road and expressed or feigned horror that a foreigner
    might try to subvert the election.  Instead, she basically
    admitted that she too was culpable.")  Now, with the prospect
    of the release of FARC hostages, Chavez had risen once again
    like a phoenix and seemed to be successfully painting
    Colombian President Uribe as the bad guy, Lewis explained.
    Lewis said that he worried even more about the safety of the
    hostages; "The FARC could simply kill them and blame their
    deaths on 'military operations' conducted by Colombian
    government forces. Uribe must be regretting that he ever
    opened the door to Chavez on the hostage issue." Lewis said
    that Torrijos and other regional leaders had been calling
    Uribe to give him moral support.  Ambassador responded that,
    more than private calls, Uribe would probably appreciate even
    more public statements of support; Lewis demurred.

    --------------------------------------------- -
    Lewis to be in NY for Panama's UNSC Presidency
    --------------------------------------------- -

    ¶5.  (C) "I plan to spend about two weeks in New York City
    during Panama's Security Council Presidency," Lewis said.

    Additionally, Lewis said that he would bring his family along
    so that he could combine business with pleasure.  (Note:
    Panamanian schools have their summer break from January to
    March.)  Lewis provided no insights into any specific
    proposals that Panama might try to advance during its UNSC
    Presidency.

    -----------------------------------
    PMG: Clashes with Torrijos Continue
    -----------------------------------

    ¶6. (C) Venting at length that National Assembly President
    Pedro Miguel Gonzalez (PMG) was damaging Panama, the
    governing Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD), President
    Torrijos, Lewis said that relations between PMG and Torrijos
    were frosty.  (Note:  PMG remains under federal indictment in
    connection with the 1992 murder of a U.S. serviceman and the
    attempted murder of another.)  For example, before entering
    the main hall for January 2 swearing-in ceremony for the
    Supreme Court's new president and two new magistrates, PMG
    and Torrijos were held in small anteroom.  "They did not
    exchange a single word or even make eye contact for over ten
    minutes," Lewis said Torrijos later told him.

    ¶7. (C) Concerning the various races for seats on the PRD's
    National Executive Committee (CEN), Lewis said that PMG was
    constantly shifting his focus from one seat to another
    keeping current occupants and contenders on edge.  Currently,
    PMG was toying with the idea of running against Panama City
    Mayor and First CEN Sub-Secretary Juan Carlos Navarro.  "Juan
    Carlos will win that seat easily," Lewis asserted regarding
    his cousin.  Shifting his target from one seat to the next
    though ultimately worked to PMG's advantage in terms of
    advancing his desire to secure greater power and leadership
    in Panama and within the PRD, Lewis said.  Asked by
    Ambassador whether PMG would be re-elected National Assembly
    President, Lewis emphatically said, "No! That will never
    happen. He has burned too many bridges.  The President has
    the votes -- and Pedro Miguel knows it -- to prevent his
    re-election."

    ¶8. (C) PMG had recently lost two battles in the National
    Assembly.  Lewis confirmed that PMG had wanted one of his
    cronies to get one of the Supreme Court magistrate seats.
    Torrijos, however, worked behind the scenes to rally votes in
    favor of Oyden Ortega and Jeronimo Mejia who were eventually
    elected.  When PMG started counting noses, Lewis said, PMG
    realized that he did not have the votes for his candidate and
    so abandoned him.  Turning to the budget, PMG tried to hold
    up approval of Torrijos' budget pending reinstatement of
    funds to be managed by individual deputies for projects in
    their districts (partidas circuitales) as well as the
    inclusion of a number of pet projects.  Torrijos, Lewis said,
    called PMG's bluff, met with individual deputies, and told
    those deputies that failure to approve his budget would mean
    that funds for projects in their districts would dry up.
    Torrijos was happy to operate at the 2007 budget levels, but
    made it clear that he would make up funding gaps for his high
    priority projects by taking funds intended for the districts
    of those deputies who voted against his budget.  "Torrijos
    told the deputies that he would make it crystal clear who was
    responsible for roads not being paved in various deputies'
    districts," Lewis said.  "The deputies quickly got into line
    and pushed PMG to approve Torrijos' budget."

    -------
    Summary
    -------

    ¶9. (C) Lewis' portral of Torrijos' reluctant need to see
    Cuban officials when he visits Cuba for medical treatment for
    his daughter was undercut by his statement that Torrijos
    would be seeking out an appointment with Raul Castro.  His
    discussion of Cuba-Venezuela tensions is really nothing new,
    but provides a fig leaf that Panama can serve as an
    interlocutor with major players in the hemisphere.  Ditto on
    his discussion of Chavez, Fernandez, and Uribe -- no real
    substance, but no real desire to move beyond private
    engagement to public statements.  Hopefully, Lewis' lack of a
    clear idea of what Panama wants to do in the UNSC during its
    presidency means that Panama's month at the helm of the
    Council will be uneventful, perhaps even one without a time
    consuming, but ultimately resultless, thematic debate.  As
    concerns PMG, by all reports, whatever relationship PMG and
    Torrijos may have had at one time is now in tatters.
    Torrijos is now having to spend more time and energy on
    legislative matters, but he is also prevailing on his top
    legislative priorities.  His victories in the National
    Assembly, however, do come at the political cost of twisting
    PRD deputies' arms at a time when the PRD internal election
    process is just warming up.  Most interesting perhaps, if
    unsaid, is that it looks like Lewis has shelved his plans for
    a presidential run:  there was  no mention of his
    presidential campaign, and he plans to be in New York during
    the peak of the internal PRD political season.
    EATON

`