HELMS SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS ON PANAMA, 3/10/86

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01390R000700920063-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 15, 2010
• Sequence Number: 63
• Publication Date: March 11, 1986
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700920063-3
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TO RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA IMMEDIATE 1298
INFO RUEOEHA/ USSOUTHCOM QUARRY HTS PN IMMEDIATE 9840
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TATE 073788
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL, SHUM, SNAR, PM, US
SUBJECT: HELMS SUBCOMMITTEE HEAi2INGS ON PANAMA, 3/10/86
2. ON MARCH 10 THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
ON WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS HEARD FOUR PUBLIC
WITNESSES' TESTIMONY ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE POLITICAL
SITUATION IN PANAMA. SENATOR HELMS WAS THE ONLY MEMBER
PRESENT, WITH MOST OTHER MEMBERS AT T}iE DAVITS FUNERAL IN
NEW YORK. HELMS' REMARKS WERE FAIRLY RESTRAINED.
3. WINSTON AND LAURA SPADAFORA AND LA PR5NSA EDITOR
ROBERTO EISENMANN WERE PRESENT, BUT SPOKE THROUGH MRS.
ADELAIDE EISENMANN, A LONG-TIME WASHINGTON LOBBYIST FOR
PANAMA'S OPPOSITION. FAMILIAR THEMES WERE AIRED ON THE
SPADAFORA MURDER, THE BARLETTA RESIGNATION, HARRASSMENT
OF THE PRESS, THE POLITICAL ROLE OF THE MILITARY, AND
OFFICIAL CORRUPTION AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE DRUG AND ARMS
TRAFFIC. LITTLE NEW WAS SAID. L'OS ANGELES TIMES
JOURNALIST NORMAN BAILEY URGED OAS ACTION, WITH USG
SUPPORT, TO ENABLE NICOLAS BARLETTA TO RESUME THE
PRESIDENCY, FROM WHICH BAILEY SAID HE IS CONSTITUTIONALLY
ON LEAVE.
4. FORMER AMB. MOSS AND ACADEMIC RICHARD MILLETT
(CHAIRMAN OF .LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
UNIVERSITY) STRESSED THE EFFECT OF PANAMA'S ECONOMIC
PROBLEMS ON POLITICAL STABILITY. BOTH ARGUED THAT THE
POLITICAL ROLE OF THE MILITARY WAS INSTITUTIONAL AND THUS
COULD NOT BE RESOLVED BY CHANGING FACES. THEY SAID
REFORM WOULD HAVE TO COME STEP BY STEP. BOTH NOTED THAT
THE POWER OF THE US TO DICTATE PANAMA'S POLITICAL
DEVELOPMENT WAS LIMITED, AND COULD AROUSE NATIONALISTIC
RESENTMENT IF USED CLUMSILY. ASKED TO EVALUATE THE
PRESENT HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN PANAMA, MOSS SAID THERE
SEEMEb TO BE MORE FEAR OF SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THE
GOVERNMENT THAN WHEN HE WAS AMBASSADOR, BUT HE STILL
COMPARED PANAMA FAVORABLY WITH MANY COUNTRIES IN THE
REGION.
5. SEN. HELMS' INTEREST SEEMED TO CENTER ON ALLEGATIONS
OF INVOLVEMENT OF SENIOR GOP AND PDF OFFICIALS IN DRUG
TRAFFICKING. NONE OF THE WITNESSES PRESENTED ANY
SPECIFIC'EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT ALLEGATIONS THAT SUCH
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700920063-3
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700920063-3
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INVOLVEMENT WAS WIDESPREAD AND PERVASIVE. MRS. EISENMANN
SAID REAL EVIDENCE IS IN HANDS OF USG. BAILEY SAID THAT
A GOOD DEAL OF HARD INFORMATION EXISTS EVEN IN
UNCLASSIFIED FORM, E.G. THAT IN POSSESSION OF SPADAFORA
FAMILY. AMB. MOSS STATED THAT DURING HIS TENURE HE WAS
NOT AWARE OF ANY EVIDENCE OF OFFICIAL_INVOLVEMENT IN DRUG
TRAFFICKING IN PANAMA, BUT RATHER THAT THERE HAD BEEN
MUCH OFFICIAL COOPERATION FROM GOP AUTHORITIES IN ACTIONS
AGAINST ABUSE OF PANAMA BY DRUG TRAFFICKERS.
6. HELMS NOTED THAT ASSISTANT SECRETARY ABRAMS HAD
AGREED TO APPEAR CONCERNING PANAMA AT END OF MARCH OR
EARLY APRIL, AND THAT HE WOULD THEREFORE BE HOLDING
FURTHER HEARINGS, INCLUDING A CLOSED ONE ON DRUGS. HE
STATED HE ALSO INTENDED HEARINGS ON WHAT HE CHARACTERIZED
AS AN ANALAGOUS AND EQUALLY SERIOUS SITUATION IN MEXICO.
WHITEHEAO
END OF MESSAGE CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/24 :CIA-RDP90B01390R000700920063-3