MONTHLY REPORT -- PANAMA BUREAU -- DECEMBER 1986

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 22, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 5, 1987
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120001-8
5 January 1987
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report -- Panama Bureau -- December 1986
A. The bureau chief and Chief Technician
visited El Salvador 9-11 December at the request of the USIS office
there. The purpose of the trip was to determine the best location for the
FBIS remote equipment that had been removed from the USIS quarters in the
embassy after the 10 October earthquake. We decided to reinstall our
equipment in a wing of the embassy that survived the earthquake without
much damage. and contractor had the equipment
working by 10 December, although the line for our fax operation remains
down due to technical problems in Nicaragua. The remote line is working
well, and efforts to resume fax operations continue.
B. We have made limited progress in our quest to obtain Panamanian
Government approval for the bureau's two frequency allocation requests.
After we queried the embassy on submitting these requests via the military
channel, the DCM intervened personally with the Foreign Ministry once
again on our behalf. After some discussion clarifying the nature of our
request, the Foreign Ministry agreed to reconsider the microwave frequency
request if it was resubmitted. We immediately resubmitted the request
with a change in wording that we hope will ease any Panamanian concerns.
The ambassador and DCM have promised to pressure the appropriate Foreign
Ministry officials regularly until approval is granted. We hope to use
approval of the microwave frequency request as precedent for gaining
approval of our Internet request.
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II. OPERATIONS
A. Editorial/Monitorial
1. In the bureau's effort to ensure ongoing monitorial training
and quality control, more responsibility for supervision and training has
been delegated to the four current monitor supervisors. Each supervisor
has been assigned a group of five to six monitors for whom the supervisor
is responsible over a 1-year period. The deputy chief and chief monitor
have provided guidance and will continue to provide guidance to the
supervisors on evaluating and providing feedback to those monitors under
their charge, and the monitor supervisors will in turn be evaluated on
their performance of these supervisory duties.
2. In early December a Nicaraguan incursion into Honduras
generated a flurry of FYI's and substantial copy over several days, and
both Daniel Ortega and Honduran President Azcona spoke several times on
the tense border situation. Nicaragua also claimed U.S. involvement. The
situation abated by mid-month.
3. With the release of Eugene Hasenfus on 17 December, the bureau
bade farewell to a steady source of Nicaraguan copy. Before anyone could
become too despondent, however, U.S. citizen Sam Hall was caught
red-footed with a map in his socks of a Nicaraguan installation. Hall did
not make it home in time for the holidays.
B. Communications
1. In response to bureau questions concerning Ft. Huachuca's
decision to cut off our yet-to-be-activated G395 (Mode I) circuit,
Southcom's J-6 reviewed the history of the circuit along with
bureau-supplied background information and found that the circuit had
mistakenly been declared active in September. After J-6 informed Ft.
Huachuca of the error, and FBIS was assured that no charges for the
circuit would accrue until activation (scheduled tentatively for early
1987), FBIS headquarters confirmed that the requirement for the circuit
remained.
2. Meanwhile, occasional problems with USAISC's Tech Control
continue with the latest occurring the weekend of 19 December. An outage
scheduled by Ft. Detrick lasted 12 hours longer than the scheduled 36
hours due to a problem at Tech Control. Although Tech Control personnel
on duty insisted the problem lay at the bureau, it was finally determined
that the faulty equipment lay at Tech Control. After the problem was
discovered and communications restored, the bureau chief wrote a letter to
the commander of USAISC requesting a higher authority for bureau personnel
to contact in future such situations.
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3. Bureau efforts to find alternatives to a direct microwave link
into the embassy also continued. We have established a circuit between
the bureau and Corozal and are currently awaiting the arrival of
technicians to help us establish a microwave link between Corozal and the
embassy. Once this link is completed, we hope to be able to send our
communications over the embassy's new Skymux.
C Lateral Services
In response to a request from the embassy's political and economic
sections, we translated the 10,000-word Panamanian law on dealing with
drug-related crimes, which the Panamanian press published on 28 December.
After the embassy received the translation, the responsible political
officer called to thank us and noted that our translation had made "one
helluva difference" to those working on this important subject.
D. Technical
The following accountable property was purchased locally:
One Mitsubishi Montero station wagon Model L047GWNL 1987, Chassis
DL047WHJ400244. Price $15,108.50
III. ADMINISTRATION
A. Personnel
1. Chief Editor
December.
2. Monitor supervisor
December to live with her new husband in Florida.
resigned effective 6
3. Monitor) )entered on duty 9 December.
4. On 8 December Assistant Chief Technician
attended an introductory management course entitled "Transition of the New
Supervisor." This course is one of many professional training courses
given by the Corozal Training Center. The bureau plans to send and
other bureau personnel to future courses.
was promoted to GS-13 effective 7
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
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,
B. Building and Grounds
Contractor Cedeno Choy & Associates completed the installation of
new kitchen cabinets and drawers on 15 December.
Director of Security accompanied by senior Office of
Security officials, visited the bureau on 5 December for a brief tour and
orientation.
V. COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
1. The bureau held its annual Christmas party this year on 13
December at the Social Espanola Beneficencia. The turnout was good, and a
live band ensured plenty of dancing.
2. Another annual Christmastime event, the collection of toys for
some of Panama's poorer children, culminated on 20 December with the
arrival of approximately 25 bureau employees at Chiva Chiva, our neighbor
and the town we chose to sponsor this year. Approximately 120 toys were
donated by bureau personnel, who each sponsored between one and three
individual children. In addition to the toys, bureau personnel also
donated food, drink, and clothes, and contract driver
provided transportation to and from the Chiva Chiva school. This event,
which has become a yearly tr , is organized by senior teletypist
Each year chooses a village for the bureau to
sponsor and wor s with the village s teachers in organizing the party and
arranging for the collection of toys.
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
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Panama Bureau Production Report for December 1986
I. TOTALS FROM ALL SOURCES:
TOTAL PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
TOTAL NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTH:
352620
23040
694
BROAD-
CASTS
PRESS
AGENCIES
PUBLI-
CATIONS
II. INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE: 11956.00
83310.00
207.00
(minutes or issues per week) min.
min.
issues
III. OUTPUT FROM ALL SOURCES:
(publishable words per month)
ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires REUTER in
Spanish
3200
Buenos Aires REUTER in
English
0
CHILE
Santiago Television Service in
Spanish
Santiago REUTER in
English
CLANDESTINES
Clandestine Radio Farabundo Marti in
Spanish to El Salvador
Clalndestine Radio Venceremos in
Spanish to E1 Salvador
COLOMBIA
Bogota Cadena Radial Super in
Spanish
Bogota Domestic Service in
Spanish
Bogota Emisoras Caracol Network in
Spanish
Bogota IMRAVISION Television Cadena 1
in
Spanish
Bogota IMRAVISION Television Cadena 2
in
Spanish
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Bogota Television Service in
Spanish
Bogota REUTHR in
Spanish
Bogota REUTER in
English
Bogota BL SIGLO in
Spanish
Bogota EL TIEMPO in
Spanish
COSTA RICA
San Jose Radio Reloj in
Spanish
San Jose LA NACION in
Spanish
San Jose LA PRENSA LIBRE in
Spanish
San Jose LA REPUBLICA in
Spanish
San Jose LIBERTAD REVOLUCIONARIA in
Spanish
San Jose LIBERTAD in
Spanish
San Jose RUMBO in
Spanish
CUBA
Havana International Service in
Quechua 1070
Havana International Service in
Spanish 47920
Havana Domestic Service in
Spanish 11470
Havana EFE in
Spanish
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
English
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
French
ECUADOR
Quito Radio Quito in
Spanish 510
Quito Vos de los Andes in
Spanish 3560
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
1640
800
2510
1550
540
720
0
430
770
190
1860
4400
200
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BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
Quito REUTER in
Spanish
Quito REUTER in
English
EL SALVADOR
San Salvador Canal Doce Television in
Spanish
3390
San
Salvador
Spanish
Channel 2 Television in
950
San
Salvador
Spanish
Domestic Service in
0
San
Salvador
Spanish
La Vox Panamericana in
770
San
Salvador
Spanish
Radio Cadena Sonora in
5330
Salvador
Spanish
Radio Cadena YSKL in
8180
Salvador
Spanish
Radio Cadena YSU in
710
San
Salvador
Spanish
Television Educativa
1620
San
Salvador
Spanish
DIARIO LATINO in
300
Salvador
Spanish
EL DIARIO DE HOY in
4020
Salvador
Spanish
EL MUNDO in
0
Salvador
Spanish
LA PRENSA GRAFICA in
FRANCE
Pai;is AFP in
English
Paris AFP in
Spanish
GERMANY
Hamburg DPA in
Spanish
GUATEMALA
Guatemala City Cadena de Emisoras
Unidas in
Spanish
1690
Guatemala City Domestic Service
Spanish
in
2320
8460
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BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
Guatemala City Radio Nuevo Mundo
Network in
Spanish
Guatemala City Radio Television
Guatemala in
Spanish
Guatemala City EL GRAFICO in
Spanish
Guatemala City PRBNSA LIBRE in
Spanish
160
920
290
1610
HONDURAS
Tegucigalpa Cadena Audio Video in
Spanish
Tegucigalpa Radio America in
Spanish
Tegucigalpa Televisora Hondurena in
Spanish
Tegucigalpa Voz de Honduras Network in
Spanish
San Pedro Sula LA PRENSA in
Spanish
San Pedro Sula TIEMPO in
Spanish
Tegucigalpa EL HERALDO in
Spanish
Tegucigalpa LA TRIBUNA in
Spanish
MEXICO
Mexico City Red Nacional 13 IMEVISION
Television in
Spanish
Mexico City XEW Television Network in
Spanish
Mexico City CERIGUA in
Spanish
Mexico City ENFOPRENSA in
Spanish
Mexico City REUTER in
English
Mexico City EL DIA in
Spanish
Mexico City EL NACIONAL in
Spanish
Mexico City EXCELSIOR in
Spanish
Mexico City THE NEWS in
English
17450
9500
780
14290
270
2590
23190
730
4580
7360
620
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BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
Mexico City UNOMASUNO in
Spanish
NICARAGUA
Managua International Service in
Spanish
Bluefields Radio Zinica in
Spanish
Managua Domestic Service in
Spanish
Managua Radio Noticias in
Spanish
Managua Radio Sandino in
Spanish
Managua Sistema Sandinista Television
Network in
Spanish
Managua ANN Diplomatic Information
Service in
Spanish
Managua ANN in
Spanish
Managua PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish
Managua SALPRESS-NOTISAL in
Spanish
Managua BARRICADA in
Spanish
Managua EL NUEVO DIARIO in
Spanish
PANAMA
Panama City Circuito RPC
Television in
Spanish
Panama City Television Service in
Spanish
Panama City Televisora Nacional in
Spanish
Panama City ACAN in
Spanish
Panama City CRITICA in
Spanish
Panama City DIALO0O SOCIAL in
Spanish
Panama City BL SIGLO in
Spanish
Panama City EXTRA in
Spanish
2670
970
370
30850
0
4840
3300
0
4190
1240
0
580
220
20770
1370
0
1000
730
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BROAD- PRESS
CASTS AGENCIES
PUBLI-
CATIONS
Panama City LA ESTRELLA DR PANAMA in
1730
Spanish
Panama City LA PRENSA in
5890
Spanish
Panama City LA REPUBLICA DOMINICAL'in
0
Spanish
Panama City LA HEPUBLICA in
7630
Spanish
Panama City MATUTINO in
760
Spanish
Panama City QUIUBO GRAFICO in
0
Spanish
Panama City STAR AND HERALD in
70
English
Panama City THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC in
English
PERU
Lima Panamericana Television
Network in
Spanish
Lima Television Peruana in
Spanish
Lima REUTER in
English
Lima REUTER in
Spanish
SPAIN
Madrid EFE in
Spanish
II
VENEZUELA
Caracas Domestic Service in
Spanish
Caracas Television Service in
Spanish
Caracas REUTER in
English
Caracas EL NACIONAL in
Spanish
Caracas EL UNIVERSAL in
Spanish
3100
9670
5370
790
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PANAMA BUREAU PRODUCTION REPORT FOR DECEMBER 1986 -- ANNEX
TOTALS FROM MOST SOURC-ES
COLOMBIA
Bogota Television Service in
Spanish
1,640
Bogota IMRAVISION Television Cadena 1 in
Spanish 0
420
Bogota IMRAVISION Television Cadena 2 in
Spanish
730
CUBA
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish
4,400
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
English
1,620
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
French
200
Havana EYE in
Spanish
190
MEXICO
Mexico City XEW Television Network in
Spanish
23,190
Mexico City Red Nacional IMEVISION Telev
ision in
Spanish
3,220
Mexico City ENFOPRENSA in
Spanish
240
Mexico City CERIGUA in
Spanish
230
NICARAGUA
Managua ANN in
Spanish
4,190
Managua PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish
1.240
PERU
Lima Panamericana Television Service
Spanish
in
3,100
SPAIN
Madrid EFE in
Spanish
VENEZUELA
Caracas Television Service in
Spanish
TOTAL FOR DECEMBER 1986 45.800
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/22 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100120001-8