US embassy cable - 04PANAMA1000

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 001000 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE PASS FOR G/TIP/LINDERMAN/HOLLIDAY, WHA/PPC/FALLS, 
WHA/CEN/BRIGHAM 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, SMIG, CO, PM, KTIP, LABOR, HUMAN RIGHTS,POLMIL 
SUBJECT: ANOTHER PANAMANIAN MADAM IN JAIL; IMMIGRATION 
DEPARTMENT SUSTAINING ANTI-TIP EFFORTS 
 
 
REF: PANAMA 229 
 
 
Classified By: DCM Christopher J. McMullen for Reasons 1.5 (B and D) 
 
 
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TIRED OF RUNNING 
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1.  (C)  According to GOP police reports, an alleged child 
prostitution ringleader, Elizabeth Archibold Diaz, 
surrendered herself to the Policia Tecnica Judicial (PTJ) on 
April 14, 2004.  She was accompanied by her attorney and, to 
date, remains in custody.  Archibold is alleged to be the 
mastermind of a child prostitution ring that was broken up in 
late January 2004.  Two Colombian nationals, David Aguirre 
Obregon and Wilson Aguirre Obregon, were arrested during the 
initial PTJ raid.  Information obtained during the raid and 
subsequent arrests indicated that Archibold was the head of 
the ring and a warrant was issued for her arrest.  Panamanian 
minors as young as twelve were working in this ring (See Ref. 
A).  Archibold's arrest and on-going questions should bolster 
the case against all involved in this ring. 
 
 
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IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TOUGH ON ILLEGAL PROSTITUTION 
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2.  (U)  Panama's Immigration department continues its 
efforts to eliminate illegal and unlicensed prostitution.  In 
raids conducted from April 19-21, 2004, Immigration officials 
arrested 29 foreign women working illegally (without work 
permits) at numerous nightclubs and bars in Panama City.  All 
of the women were from Colombia or the Dominican Republic. 
Many of their passports indicated that they had just arrived 
in Panama.  These women will be deported to their respective 
countries.  (NOTE:  The Immigration Department says that 
their officers resolutely try to ascertain if the women are 
TIP victims.  Immigration officials have shown EmbOffs the 
form they give to arrested women which allows them to claim 
that they are TIP victims.  In addition, Immigration has 
included third-party observers on raids.  End Note.) 
 
 
3.  (U)  The Immigration Department as conducted a number of 
raids throughout Panama, which are part of a a larger, 
coordinated regional effort to combat illegal immigration. 
Entitled "Gallo Pinto" it promises increased cooperation 
between regional immigration authorities.  There has been 
some criticism of the raids by a local left-wing 
organization, Caritas Panama.  Caritas-Panama claims that the 
arrests and deportations violate the illegal immigrants' 
human rights.  (NOTE:  Caritas Panama is not related to the 
Catholic Church relief and social service organization, 
Caritas Arquidiocesana.  The local leader of Caritas, 
Monsignor Duran has told EmbOffs repeatedly that 
Caritas-Panama is not part of the Caritas network. End Note.) 
 
 
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COMMENT 
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4. (SBU)  The GOP is sustaining its heightened efforts to 
combat TIP, recognizing that more investigations, arrests, 
and prosecution are necessary to fully combat TIP in Panama. 
An upcoming high-level regional immigration conference (May 
17-21) hosted by the GOP will include a substantial anti-TIP 
component.  Embassy will continue to work closely with the 
GOP to ensure that on-going efforts are sustained and that 
areas for improvement (i.e. victim identification) are 
addressed. 
 
 
WATT