US embassy cable - 05PANAMA1526

UNCLAS PANAMA 001526 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KOMC, ETTC, PM, LABOR, HUMAN RIGHTS,POLMIL 
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK ON 
APPLICATION 05-957672 
 
REF: STATE 117172 
 
1.  (U) Per reftel, Embassy confirmed the bona fides of 
Armunex with Panama's corporate registry.  Armunex is an 
abbreviation for Armas, Municiones, and Explosivos and is 
part of the company Grupo Seguridad Especial (GSE).  GSE also 
operates a security company (Vigilancia Especial) with 250 
security agents and a security alarm monitoring service 
(Movialarm).  Pablo Aued, Legal Advisor at the Public Safety 
Directorate in Panama's Ministry of Government and Justice 
(MOGJ) presented PolOff with resolution 08/DISP/05, dated 
January 8, 2005, approving the purchase of the 100 Taurus 
revolvers (reftel).  Aued also vouched for the owners of 
Armunex, describing them as "serious people."  Edgardo 
Orillac is Armunex's president. 
 
2.  (U)  On July 15, 2005, EmbOffs conducted a site visit to 
Armunex and met with General Director, Eduardo Diaz.  Diaz 
told EmbOffs that the business has existed for 12 years.  He 
stated that the weapons will be used by security agents who 
work for Vigilancia Especial.  Additionally, Armunex sells 
weapons to other security companies and private individuals. 
Diaz said he had no weapons samples to show because Armunex's 
inventory was depleted.  For that reason, Armunex is ordering 
guns from the U.S. for the first time in three years.  Diaz 
described his customers as "high end businesses" and listed 
many well-known Panamanian companies as his clients.  He 
estimates that 30 of the weapons in the present order will be 
kept by Armunex for use by Vigilancia Especial's security 
agents and the remaining 70 will be sold to other security 
agencies and private individuals.  Diaz showed us the files 
of recent weapon sales by Armunex and also provided a tour of 
his facility where classroom training for security guards was 
on-going.  A security alarm monitoring center also operates 
on the site. 
 
3.  (U)  By all appearances, Armunex is a legitimate well-run 
business. 
 
WATT