Panama’s chaotic security system in WikiLeaks reports

A Panama government leader saying that no  one is actually responsible for the security of the country and President Ricardo Martinelli ridiculing a member of his cabinet to former ambassador Barbara Stephenson are the latest WikiLeaks revelations.

They were published in La Prensa on Wednesday, May 11, and  had appeared on McClatchy News in the U.S. 24 hours earlier.

The reports are based on cables sent to Washington in October 2009 by former Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, who was later promoted to one of the highest posts in the American Diplomatic Service, Head of Mission in London.

 They were writtne  following discussions with the "ring zero" for the Martinell governmen … Martinelli,  the Jimmy Papadimitriu and Juan Carlos Varela. Papadeimitriu was -described by Stephenson as the most powerful and important partner of Martinelli, who informed  her of his diplomatic "concern" and "frustration" because "there is no consensus on the safety issue" , "no developed plan," and the struggle for power among top officials of the security sectors.

"The vice president, Juan Carlos Varela, Minister of the then portfolio of Government and Justice, Jose Raul Mulino, the National Police director, Gustavo Perez, and the then intelligence chief, Olmedo Alfaro, were engaged in a power struggle.

But , Martinelli made it clear that he, "Varela and Papadimitriu are the" zero cycle "of the Government of Panama, and no major decision is taken without it being discussed by the three  and  a course of action agreed upon"
 This occurred in a six-hour meeting, with the President and the ministers. The circle of power excluded Jose Raul Mulino, who, according to the diplomat’s reports, did not have the confidence of the President, who also mocked and ridiculed him.
  "Jose Raul Mulino not have the full support and confidence of the government, but nobody else wants the job," said his colleague, the Minister of the Presidency, Jimmy Papadimitriu, according to Barbara Stephenson.
A crucial issue of the diplomatic report is how little respect he dispensed for Mulino, whom Papadimitriu described as "difficult to manage."

“We have no one to wake up with security in mind, as do you. Nobody feels responsible, "he complained.

Today, Papadimitriu does not remember saying that, says La Presna and says, "Mulino has all the credibility and confidence of Martinelli and myself." He attributed Stephenson claims to "mere subjective interpretations of an official who did not like me, to the point that I was not invited her farewell when she left Panama. She invited all the ministers, except me. "
Lawyer and former director of the National Police Asvat Ebrahim commented "If Mulino said Mulino he did not enjoy his confidence, he had to call for his resignation."

 Stephenson's report said: "Martinelli ridicules Mulino saying that  in Cabinet meetings he often speaks non-stop for 20 minutes or more with an attitude that knows more than others because hje is the only one who has experience in other governments, causing other ministers stop listening and connect with their Blackberries. "
La Prensa reports that this was backed up by, three Cabinet members, on condition anonymity. “We were weary of the know-allarrogant tone” they said. “Not much has changed” And management spent 22 months and although the government says it is implementing the plan "Safe Streets", the results are obvious. Security experts such as lawyers and former director of the Police and Jaime Abad Asvat Ebrahim said: "This country does not have a security plan."
Asvat, said: “The problem is that Mulino the then Ministry of Government and Justice, now the Ministry of Public Security, exercised and continues to exercise a role only with the media. Security strategies are not defined there. Police has always been the one hand, the Border Service and the other Maritime Service another.”