WikiLeakes: "Diplomacia de Chequera" hizo cambiar la posición de Martinelli respecto a China

De como un jet de lujo e “incentivos” económicos de Taiwan hicieron cambiar la posición de Martinelli respecto a China (Diplomacia de Chequera)

Un cable de Wikileakes (10PANAMA87) enviado por la Ex Embajadora Barbara Stephenson, con fecha del 23 de febrero de 2011, revela, según ella, como Taiwan retuvo el apoyo de la administración Martinelli a cambio del jet de lujo Legacy y otros incentivos económicos.

En campaña Marttinelli había expresado que optaría por reconocer y mantener relaciones con la República Popular de China.

El cable afirma que:

“El 6 de enero de 2010, el canciller Juan Carlos Varela aceptó un plan de 'cooperación de cinco años', que incluye la donación de $ 25 millones para la construcción de un hospital en las afueras de Panamá Ciudad en Chilibre - Las Cumbres, y la donación de un $ 22 millones para la compra del jet ejecutivo de negocios. Varela tuvo que así dar marcha atrás al anunciar el plan de cooperación. Durante su campaña presidencial de 2009, tanto él como el presidente Martinelli señalaron públicamente que Panamá reconocería la creciente relación económica con China, así como los intereses particulares de China en Panamá, mediante el establecimiento formal de relaciones diplomáticas. Durante su primera reunión como presidente con la Embajadora en mayo de 2009, Martinelli dijo que 'iba a reconocer Beijing' ya que él pensaba que la comunidad de negocios de Panamá
se beneficiarían con este resultado.”

Estas nueva revelación se suma a otros escándalos que envuelven al conjunto de las clases dominantes y sus partidos tradicionales, así como a otras figuras del espectro político nacional.

En otra parte del cable se señala:

“La confirmación de Varela de la renovación de los lazos con Taiwán vino tras los talones del regalo de Taiwan para el gobierno de 22 millones dólares para comprar el jet, Legacy 600, un jet de negocios ejecutivo, en diciembre de 2009. Martinelli ya había recibido críticas por sus planes de comprar un nuevo avión presidencial, lo cual iba en contra de su campaña donde en su retórica dijo que, con una declaración oficial de su fortuna personal en aproximadamente $ 300 millones, no tenía necesidad de cobrarle al tesoro público por viajes ejecutivos”.

“La ayuda financiera desde hace mucho tiempo ha sido ridiculizada en ambos lados del Pacífico como 'diplomacia de chequera' y hay una tradicional falta de transparencia en la forma en que el dinero recibido de Taiwán se gasta. Varela señaló al funcionario político y a la Embajadora que el dinero es simplemente depositados en la tesorería. A mediados de febrero de este año surgieron reportes de que la ex presidenta Mireya Moscoso
enfrentó una investigación por el mal uso de hasta $ 70 millones en fondos de Taiwán. Moscoso ha negado cualquier implicación en la distribución de dinero recibido por el Mar del Sur, una fundación creada con el único propósito de distribuir los fondos taiwaneses”.

Aquí el texto completo del cable en inglés:

REF: 09 PANAMA 461; 09 SAN JOSE 985; 10 PANAMA 29

CLASSIFIED BY: Stephenson, Ambassador; REASON: 1.4(B), (D)

Summary

The GOP has renewed its commitment to Panama's longstanding relationship with Taiwan, despite public statements by President Ricardo Martinelli in 2009 that Panama would opt for formal diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China (PRC). Martinelli attempted to follow through with his plan for recognizing the PRC but was told to back off by the Chinese. Taiwan has used financial incentives to retain the backing of the Martinelli administration, generating controversy over the recent "donation" of a $22 million business jet for the government's official use. End Summary.

Hurry up and Wait

On January 6, Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Varela agreed to a "five-year cooperation" plan which includes the donation of $25 million for construction of a hospital on the outskirts of Panama City in Chilibre - Las Cumbres, and the donation of a $22 million executive business jet. Varela had to backtrack in announcing the cooperation plan; during their 2009 presidential campaign, both he and President Martinelli publicly indicated that Panama would recognize the growing economic relationship with China, as well as China's particular interests in Panama, by establishing formal diplomatic relations. During his first meeting as President with the Ambassador in May 2009, Martinelli said that he was "going to recognize Beijing" as he thought that Panama's business community would benefit as a result (Ref A).

Martinelli may have had in mind the type of cooperation that Costa Rica has been enjoying with the PRC since establishing formal ties in 2007 (Ref B). However, FM Varela stated to the Ambassador on February 18 that he was told by the Chinese Foreign Minister during his visit to Asia the previous month that, due to diplomatic overtures underway between Beijing and Taipei, now was not the time for Panama to recognize the PRC. On February 1, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias informed a Colombian diplomat that Martinelli told him Panama wanted to follow Costa Rica's lead but that the Chinese had asked him to "remain calm" and that the PRC was not interested in furthering diplomatic ties in the region for the time being. Chinese diplomats have related to Poloff in Costa Rica that the PRC was concerned that diplomatic recognition from other Latin American countries might damage their recently improved relations with Taiwan (Ref B).

While Panama and Taiwan have full diplomatic relations, the PRC maintains only a trade mission in Panama. The PRC has important economic interests in Panama; Hong Kong-based companies operate two of the four ports on both the Atlantic and Pacific terminus of the Panama Canal and the PRC is the second most frequent user of the waterway. The PRC is also the largest supplier of goods to the Colon Free Zone (CFZ), the world's second largest free trade zone. Taiwan and Panama, meanwhile, signed a free trade agreement in 2003. The ethnic Chinese community in Panama remains publicly agnostic on the issue of official recognition for the PRC. "Chino-Panamanos" number between 130,000 and 200,000 (roughly 4-6% of the population) and are ubiquitous in the convenience store or "mini-super" industry.

Where Does the Money Go?

(U) Varela's confirmation of the renewal of ties with Taiwan came on the heels of Taiwan's gift to the GOP of a $22 million Embraer Legacy 600 executive business jet in December 2009. Martinelli had previously received criticism for his plans to purchase a new official jet, which ran counter to his campaign rhetoric indicating that, with an officially declared personal fortune of approximately $300 million, he would not need to charge the public treasury for executive travel. The government of Taiwan has historically used financial incentives to sweeten its relationship with Panama: political science professor Miguel Antonio Bernal estimated aid to be $125 million per year during the previous administration of President Martin Torrijos. Scholarships for study in Taiwan and grants to various ministries are among the ways Taiwan has donated to Panama. Last year during an address to the Panamanian National Assembly, President Ma expressed interest in "project-based" aid, specifically mentioning planned improvements to Panama's mass transit system.

The longstanding financial aid has been derided on both sides of the Pacific as "checkbook diplomacy" and there is a traditional lack of transparency in how the money received from Taiwan is spent. Varela stated to Polcouns and the Ambassador that the money is simply deposited in the treasury. In mid-February of this year reports surfaced that former president Mireya Moscoso was facing investigation for the misuse of up to $70 million in funds from Taiwan. Moscoso has denied any involvement in distribution of money received by Mar Del Sur, a foundation set up for the sole purpose of distributing Taiwanese funds.

Comment

The GOP decision to publicly back Taiwan is the result of financial incentives and a current lack of interest by the PRC. Martinelli seems to have been yearning for a dramatic diplomatic maneuver in pursuing recognition of the PRC but did not appear to have factored in the possibility that China would use (or, rather, not use) Panama for its own ends in improving its relationship with Taiwan.

STEPHENSON