Martinelli Asked For US Help With Wiretaps
(Panama-Guide) Shortly after coming to power, Panama's president Ricardo Martinelli asked the then US Ambassador to Panama, Barbara Stephenson, to help his administration listen to telephone conversations. According to diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks and published yesterday by the Spanish newspaper El Pais, Martinelli made this request to Stephenson through a chat sent from this Blackberry telephone. In a secret report sent on August 22, 2009, the diplomat expressed her surprise at the president's request to use the DEA's infrastructure to combat insecurity and to spy on his political rivals.
In response, the Panamanian government issued a statement in which they do not deny Martinelli discussed this matter with the ambassador, but claims the conversations were misinterpreted by U.S. authorities. According to the official communication, what he did was a cry for help to struggle against crime, drug trafficking and organized crime. The Ministry of Communication of State notes that the Martinelli administration renewed its unwavering and tireless fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and crime, and reiterates this was the only reason behind the request. "We never asked for help to tap telephones of politicians. Any interpretation to such a request is completely wrong," the note stresses.
A U.S. embassy spokesman said only: "It is the internal policy of the State Department to not comment with respect to materials that may have been leaked."
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Original Source: Panama-Guide
Date Retrieved: December 26, 2010.
