MONTHLY REPORT -- PANAMA BUREAU -- MARCH 1981

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00385R000200110019-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 8, 2007
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: April 6, 1981
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2007/05108: CIA-RDP83-003858000200110019-9
FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
PANAMA BUREAU
DRAWER 927
APO MIAMI 34004
6 April 1981
MPA #1011
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THROUGH Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT Monthly Report -- Panama Bureau -- March 1981
A visiting State administrative management assistance team (AMAT),
in Panama to determine the future real estate rec{uirements of the em-
bassy, has concluded that anew chancery is sorely needed, and as soon
as possible. It will make this recommendation, adding that the new
chancery should include sufficent space for all area U.S. agencies affi-
liated with the embassy. This includes FBIS. Even if the AMAT recom-
mendations are acted upon right away, the new chancery is not expected
to be completed and ready for occupancy for a long time, probably 10
years or so. The bureau expects to remain at the Chiva Chiva site at
least until the new chancery is ready.
A. Editorial/Monitorial:
1. Stepped-up terrorism in Central America and Cuba's relations
with countries of the area were the main subjects of interest in March.
A terrorist attack on U.S. Embassy Marine guards in Costa Rica, hereto-
fore the most secure country in the region, and a series of incidents in
Honduras, including a bomb attack inside the Legislative Palace and the
hijacking of a Honduran airliner to Nicaragua., prompted a significant
amount of high-precedence copy, as did the terrorist murder of a U.S, re-
ligious organization worker in Colombia.
2. The status of Cuba's relations with Panama, Colombia, and
Ecuador was another subject occupying the bureau's attention. A state-
ment by an unnamed "senior official" of Panama amounting to an attack on
Cuba's support for insurgent activities in the region drew a good deal of
reaction and prompted much interest on the part of local consumers. Co-
lombia suspended diplomatic relations with Cuba during the month, and Costa
Rica withdrew its consular personnel from Havana. Ecuador's relations with
Cuba are apparently downgraded at charge d'affaires level following the re-
turn of the Ecuadorean ambassador to Quito.
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B. Serv%ces?
At AG's request, the bureau began weekly pouching of program
summaries of all regularly covered Managua international sevice, Radio
Sandino, and Sandinist Television Network pasts.
C. Coverage:
The leftist "Radio Noticias del Continente" of San Jose, closed
down by the Costa Rican Government,. has not been heard since the evening
of 6 March and reports. from Costa Rica. indicate that the station's ec{uip-
ment has been dismaitled and taken to. Nicaragua. However, a 30-minute.pro-
gram purportedly prepared by "the staff' of the defunct station is now
being heard late at night carried by Managua Radio Sandino. Despite ear-
lier announcements by Radio Noticias del Continente.that a number of sta-
tions in the Western Hemisphere and Western Europe would carry this pro-
gramming in a "solidarity. network," Radio Sandino is the only broadcaster
heard so far to. participate.
D. Training:
Headquarters editor arrived on 8 March to par~~T~4T
cipate.in the field ed.itori training program.
III. AII~IINISTRATION
A. Personnel:
1. Former bureau administrative assistant TAT
resigned effective 5 March. She had been on 90 days eave wi ou pay.
2. Senior monitor was awarded a quality.st~I3AT
increase at a special ceremoney on; rc .
B. Building and Grounds:,
The newly arrived 30-channel Magnasync/Moviola recorder/repro-
ducer was installed by the technical section and placed in operation.
Capt Buz Hoever, USN, Naval Communications Station, Ft Amador, on
24_March.
STAT
Acting ie anama reau,
Approved For Release 2007/05108 :CIA-RDP83-003858000200110019-9
 Approved For Release 2007/05108: CIA-RDP83-003858000200110019-9
Attachments:
Monthly Production Report
Operations Attachment .
Engineering Attachment
cc: Chief, Paraguay Bureau
Chief, Key West Bureau
Approved For Release 2007/05108: CIA-RDP83-003858000200110019-9