MONTHLY REPORT--PANAMA BUREAU-- DECEMBER 1987

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-00733R000100100001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 18, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 5, 1988
• Content Type: MEMO

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ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional)
Monthly Report -- Panama Bureau
fROM: I
EXTENSION
NO.
Chief, Operations Group
DATE
S
December 1987
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
DATE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
building)
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
C/Ops
2.
C/E$PS
S
DD/FBT
s.
D/FBIS
6.
7.
PO/RA
SA/CD
9.
10.
C/AS
11.
12.
C/AG
13.
Admin Staff
` -
14.
/B$F
1s.
Exec. Reg.
FORM 610 usED AEONS
I79
TAT
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5 January 1988
MPA-8001
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report - Panama Bureau -- December 1987
1. We received our first taste of impending automation in
December. Five Lockheed employees led by FBA veteran visited
the bureau to install wiring and workstation drops and to conduct
discussions and planning sessions related to FBA-1, which is scheduled to
begin 11 January. The discussions clarified several points concerning
FBA's impact on bureau operations and helped prepare us to face both the
benefits and limitations of the new system.
2. The local situation remained relatively quiet despite the
Panamanian Government's expulsion of all USAID personnel, almost all of
whom had left the country by the end of December. The
government-controlled media continued their assaults on the embassy and
"certain sectors" in the United States and at one point accused unnamed
embassy officials here of being involved in a plot to assassinate General
Noriega. Still, by month's end, President Delvalle had announced an
amnesty for political prisoners, had freed the retired colonel whose
charges last June ignited the current political unrest, and had announced
measures to reopen the opposition media closed last summer. The impact of
these measures and the worsening economic situation are the subjects of
much speculation, and we await the next chapter in what seemingly has
become a neverending saga.
STAT
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A. Editorial/Monitorial
In what traditionally is a month of decreased activity in Latin
America, Nicaragua maintained a high profile. The beginning of talks
between the Nicaraguan resistance and government, a major pre-Christmas
contra military offensive, the downing of another plane flown by a U.S.
citizen, and numerous speeches and news conferences by the Ortega brothers
kept Nicaragua constantly in our thoughts, if not our hearts. Efforts to
find and monitor newscasts of Radio Catolica, the opposition radio
recently returned to the air, required substantial bureau-contractor
coordination and by month's end had resulted in our finding and covering
two newscasts.
B. Technical
Headquarters sent us the following accountable property:
-- One compressor, Copeland MDL ORK2-350-TSK, Unit Price: $2,135.25
A. Personnel
1. Monitor
6 December.
2. Monitor
December.
was promoted to FBN 8/1 effective
was promoted to FBN 7/1 effective 6
3. Editor departed Panama 11 December upon
completion of her 12-week training TDY.
4. Senior monitor finally returned to us after a
3-month TDY at Key West Bureau to help ease the workload there and assist
in the training of Key West's new monitor/editor. With the completion of
the Panama Bureau lend-lease program, monitorial division,
5. The Panama Bureau lend-lease program, communications division,
continued, however, as Communications Section Deputy Chief
made her third TDY to Key West in 1987 to assist over the holi ays.
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B. Building and Grounds
Contractor ompleted the new addition of the storage
room to the bureau operat ons building, the installation of additional
drains in the ROSET compound, and the double fencing around the entire
compound.
1. Field Engineering Division's) (visited the bureau
2-17 December for orientation.
2. FBIS finance officer) (visited the bureau 9-14
December for consultations.
3. Five Lockheed contractors visited the bureau 8-15 December to
install FBA-1 wiring and brief bureau personnel on January's FBA
installation.
V. COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
1. While our traditional Santa, was spreading
holiday cheer in Key West on TDY, monitor headed up the
bureau's annual effort to collect toys and arrange a Christmas celebration
for children of a selected village in Panama. For the 2d year in a row,
the nearby village of Chiva Chiva was selected as the recipient of
approximately 60 toys, each purchased or made for a particular child.
Following a full night's (and morning's) celebrating at the bureau's own
Christmas party, some hardy souls made the trip to Chiva Chiva on the
morning of 20 December to oversee the party and deliver and distribute the
gifts.
2. The bureau's own Christmas festivities included two functions:
a picnic at the Albrook Airbase bohio for employees' children on 12
December and a night of food and dance at the Ritz in Punta Paitilla on 19
December. Both events were well received, and Main Radio technician Jaime
Bell garnered rave reviews for his portrayal of Santa Claus at the
children's picnic.
3. Driving to work became even more of an adventure when a dump
truck filled to capacity with offal and entrails from a local
slaughterhouse spilled a good portion of its load as
the obstacle course to the bureau has come to be known. The first of us
to encounter the slimey, smelly mass found an orderly deposit 10 feet
I , 1 /
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
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wide, 1 1/2 feet high, and 20 yards long. Shortly thereafter we were
having to honk at and dodge the hordes of turkey vultures that descended
on the area for lunch. After a few days what had not been eaten by the
vultures had been pounded into the road by the ever-passing garbage
trucks. The smell, however, remained for weeks afterwards, as did the
remnants of ears, horns, and tails that refused to be crushed.
4. The 5 puppies born to one of the bureau's guard dogs are doing
well and growing fast. All will be starting the new year in new homes.
Mother "Smiley" and aunties "La Bamba" and "Blackie" (named as a result of
a bureau-w a contest) are looking forward to the peace and quiet of just
chasing 1 zrds and pulling guard duty. Same can be said of bureau
employees frequently found on bended knee in the parking lot making sure
there are no little ones under their cars before leaving the compound.
STAT
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Panama Bureau Production Report for DECEMBER
1987
I.
TOTAL
TOTALS FROM ALL SOURCES:
PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
354650
TOTAL
NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
33940
TOTAL
NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTH:
729
BROAD-
CASTS
PRESS
AGENCIES
PUBLI-
CATIONS
II.
INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE:
15012.00
74700.00
220.00
(minutes or issues per week)
min.
min.
issues
III.
OUTPUT FROM ALL SOURCES:
(publishable words per month)
ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires REUTER in
Spanish
CLANDESTINES
Clandestine Radio Farabundo Marti in
Spanish to El Salvador
Clandestine Radio Venceremos in
Spanish to El Salvador
COLOMBIA
Bogota Cadena Radial Super in
Spanish
Bogota Emisoras Caracol Network in
Spanish
Bogota INRAVISION Television Cadena 1
in
Spanish
Bogota INRAVISION Television Cadena 2
in
Spanish
Bogota EL SIGLO in
Spanish
Bogota EL TIEMPO in
Spanish
COSTA RICA
San Jose Radio Impacto in
Spanish
San Jose Radio Reloi in
Spanish
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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
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
CUBA
Havana International Service in
Quechua 670
Havana International Service in
Spanish 7180
Havana CUBAVISION Television in
Spanish 0
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
English
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish
ECUADOR
Quito Radio Quito in
Spanish
Quito Voz de los Andes in
Spanish
EL
San
SALVADOR
Salvador
Spanish
Canal Doce Television in
9440
San
Salvador
Spanish
Domestic Service in
0
San
Salvador
Spanish
La Voz Panamericana in
400
San
Salvador
Spanish
Radio Cadena Sonora in
1460
San
Salvador
Spanish
Radio Cadena YSKL in
6530
San
Salvador
Spanish
Radio Cadena YSU in
2520
San
Salvador
Spanish
TCS Television in
9240
San
Salvador
Spanish
Television Nacional in
1670
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San Salvador DIARIO LATINO in
Spanish
San Salvador EL DIARIO DE HOY in
Spanish
San Salvador EL MUNDO in
Spanish
San Salvador LA NOTICIA in
Spanish
San Salvador LA PRENSA GRAFICA in
Spanish
FRANCE
Paris AFP in
Spanish
GERMANY
Hamburg DPA in
Spanish
GUATEMALA
Guatemala City Cadena de Emisoras
Unidas in
Spanish
Guatemala City Radio Nuevo Mundo
Network in
Spanish
Guatemala City Radio Television
Guatemala in
Spanish
Guatemala City EL GRAFICO in
Spanish
Guatemala City PRENSA LIBRE in
Spanish
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
HONDURAS
Tegucigalpa Cadena Audio Video in
Spanish 1750
Tegucigalpa Radio America in
Spanish 260
Tegucigalpa Televisora Hondurena in
Spanish 0
Tegucigalpa Voz de Honduras Network in
Spanish 0
San Pedro Sula LA PRENSA in
Spanish
San Pedro Sula TIEMPO in
Spanish
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Tegucigalpa EL HERALDO in
Spanish
Tegucigalpa LA TRIBUNA in
Spanish
JAMAICA
Kingston JBC Television Feed in
English
MEXICO
Mexico City Cadena RASA-IMER in
Spanish
Mexico City Red Nacional 13 IMEVISION
Television in
Spanish
Mexico City XEW Television Network in
Spanish
Mexico City XHTV Television in
Spanish
Mexico City CERIGUA in
Spanish
Mexico City ENFOPRENSA in
Spanish
Mexico City EL DIA in
Spanish
Mexico City EL NACIONAL in
Spanish
Mexico City EXCELSIOR in
Spanish
Mexico City THE NEWS in
English
Mexico City UNOMASUNO in
Spanish
4480
6210
3310
4540
7900
NICARAGUA
Managua International Service in
Spanish
150
Managua Domestic Service in
Spanish
37580
Managua Radio Catolica in
Spanish
8460
Managua Radio Noticias in
Spanish
3050
Managua Radio Sandino in
Spanish
47000
Managua Sistema Sandinista Television
Network in
Spanish _
1180
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
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BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
Managua ANN Diplomatic Information
Service in
Spanish 0
Managua ANN in
Spanish 4130
Managua NOTISAL in
Spanish 0
Managua NOTISAL-SALPRESS in
Spanish 0
Managua PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish to PRENSA LATINA Havana 680
Managua BARRICADA in
Spanish 4360
Managua EL NUEVO DIARIO in
Spanish 2100
Managua LA PRENSA in
Spanish 4020
PANAMA
Panama City Cadena Exitosa in
Spanish 4570
Panama City Circuito RPC
Television in
Spanish 3450
Panama City Domestic Service in
Spanish 7760
Panama City Panavision Television in
Spanish 0
Panama City Radio Exitosa in
Spanish 1410
Panama City Telemetro Television in
Spanish 2710
Panama City Television Service in
Spanish 210
Panama City Televisora Nacional in
Spanish 4000
Panama City Radio Ritmo in
Spanish 330
Panama City ACAN in
Spanish
Panama City CRITICA in
Spanish
Panama City DIALOGO SOCIAL in
Spanish
Panama City EL SIGLO in
Spanish
Panama City EXTRA in
Spanish
Panama City LA ESTRELLA DE PANAMA in
Spanish
6470
0
0
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Panama City LA PRENSA in
Spanish
Panama City LA REPUBLICA DDMINICAL in
Spanish
Panama City LA REPUBLICA in
Spanish
Panama City MATUTINO in
Spanish
Panama City QUIUBO GRAFICO in
Spanish
Panama City THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC in
English
Panama City EL SIGLO DOMINICAL in
Spanish
PERU
Lima Domestic Service in
Spanish
Lima Panamericana Television
Network in
Spanish
Lima Television Peruana in
Spanish
SPAIN
Madrid EFE in
Spanish
USSR
Moscow Radio Peace and Progress in
Spanish 440
Moscow in
Spanish to Latin America 3250
Moscow in
Spanish to Cuba 420
VENEZUELA
Caracas Television Service in
Spanish
Caracas EL NACIONAL in
Spanish
Caracas EL UNIVERSAL in
Spanish
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
0
3410
2340
X740
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PANAMA BUREAU PRODUCTION REPORT FOR DECEMBER 1987 -- ANNEX
TOTALS FROM ROSET SOURCES
COLOMBIA
Bogota INRAVISION Television Cadena 1 in
Spanish
Bogota INRAVISION Television Cadena 2 in
Spanish
CUBA
Havana PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish
JAMAICA
Kingston JBC Television Feed in
Spanish
3,170
MEXICO
Mexico City Red Nacional 13 IMEVISION Television in
Spanish 990
Mexico City XEW Television Network in
Spanish 540
Mexico City XHTV Television in
Spanish 1,130
Mexico City CERIGUA in
Spanish 1,180
Mexico City ENFOPRENSA in
Spanish 640
NICARAGUA
Managua ANN in
Spanish
Managua PRENSA LATINA in
Spanish to PRENSA LATINA Havana
PERU
Lima Panamericana Television Network in
Spanish
Lima Television Peruana in
Spanish
4,130
1,520
13,280
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VENEZUELA
Caracas Television Service in
Spanish
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