Fumigation in Panama    Reported March, 1993

FOIA response from DIA:  A State Department document on US-sponsored Panamanian fumigation   Click on thumbnail to expand    APRIL REPORT  OCTOBER REPORT

SUBJECT:  REDACTED COUNTER-DRUG OPERATION "CANDELA A LA DROGA" (U).

WARNING: (U) THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.  REPORT CLASSIFIED.

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
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DOI: (U) 938323

SUMMARY:  PANAMA PUBLIC FORCES PREPARED TO LAUNCH DRUG ERADICATION EFFORT IN PAYITA IN THE DARIEN.  148 POLICE, AIR, AND MARITIME SERVICE AGENTS TO PARTICIPATE.  HERBICIDE SPRAYING SUPPORT TO BE PROVIDED BY U.S. NARCOTICS MATTERS OFFICIALS.

TEXT: 1. PANAMA PUBLIC FORCE (PPF) OFFICIALS SOUGHT AND RECEIVED PRESIDENT GUILLERMO ENDARA'S APPROVAL TODAY, ?? MARCH, TO LAUNCH A DRUG ERADICATION OPERATION IN AN AREA KNOWN AS PAYITA [REDACTED] IN THE DARIEN ALONG PANAMA'S BORDER WITH COLOMBIA. THE OPERATION IS SCHEDULED TO BE LAUNCHED ON 2 APRIL UTILIZING NATIONAL AIR SERVICE (SAN) AND NATIONAL MARITIME (SMN) ASSETS TO MOVE MEN AND EQUIPMENT AND TO PROVIDE SECURITY THROUGHOUT THE OPERATION.  THE OPERATION, KNOWN AS "CANDELA A LA DROGA" (DRUG BURN), IS AIMED AT DESTROYING BETWEEN 98-128 HECTARES OF COCA PLANTS FOUND IN THAT REGION DURING FEBRUARY'S "FREE BORDER" OPERATION [REDACTED WORDS].

2.  [REDACTED SENTENCE] THE FINAL OPERATION PLAN WAS DISCUSSED.  THE OPERATION IS TO BE EXECUTED IN THREE PHASES. [PARAGRAPH REDACTED]

3.  DIRECTING OPERATIONAL ELEMENTS ON THE GROUND WILL BE PNP DEPUTY DIRECTOR MAJOR DARIO ARRUE. HE WILL BE ASSISTED BY SAN DEPUTY DIRECTOR MAJOR DIMAS ESPINOSA AND SMN DIRECTOR MAJOR JOSE ROSAS ROSAS. PLANNING FOR THE EXERCISE WAS DONE JOINTLY, BUT SPEARHEADED BY CAPTAIN TOMAS GARCIA TOVAR FROM THE PNP PLANNING DIRECTORATE, AND SAN DIRECTOR MAJOR SANTIAGO FUNDORA. PNP DIRECTOR OSWALDO FERNANDEZ HAS DISPLAYED A HANDS-OFF STYLE, ALLOWING HIS PERSONNEL TO DEVELOP ALL OF THE PLANS. EXCEPT FOR SOME MINOR DECISIONS, HE HAS GENERALLY ACCEPTED THE PLAN AS DEVELOPED BY HIS STAFF. FERNANDEZ BRIEFED THE PLAN TO PRESIDENT ENDARA.

4.  A TOTAL OF 148 PERSONNEL ARE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER IN THE OPERATION.  IN ADDITION TO THE 113 PNP PERSONNEL NOTED ABOVE, SAN PILOTS AND PLANNERS AND SMN BOAT PERSONNEL ROUND OUT THE TOTAL. PNP PERSONNEL WILL BE DRAWN FROM CHIRIQUÍ, COCLE AND THE DARIEN, MUCH THE SAME AS IN OPERATION "FREE BORDER" AS THE PNP WILL TRY TO UTILIZE THEIR MOST EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL. PERSONNEL FROM ITS NEWLY-FORMED REACTION TEAM WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THIS ACTIVITY. ALSO [REDACTED WORDS] NOT PARTICPATING IS THE TECHNICAL JUDICIAL POLICE (PIJ).

 COMMENTS: 1  [REDACTED WORDS] THE PPF HAS SHOWN MUCH ENTHUSIASM TO CARRY OUT THIS MISSION.  SINCE THE COCA PLANTS WERE DISCOVERED IN FEBRUARY AND AN INITIAL FUTILE ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO DESTROY THE PLANTS THEN (THE PPF UNDERESTIMATED/WERE UNAWARE OF THE  OF THE RESOURCES AND METHODS NEEDED TO DESTROY THE PLANTS), THIS OPERATION HAS BEEN ON THE TOP OF ITS AGENDA.  THE PPF, AND FERNANDEZ IN PARTICULAR, WANT TO MAKE A CONCRETE DEMONSTRATION OF ITS WILLINGNESS TO COMBAT DRUGS IN PANAMA.  MORE IMPORTANTLY, THOUGH, THEY WANT TO SHOW AN ABILITY TO DEFEND ITS BORDERS FROM WHAT THEY SEE AS INTRUSIONS FROM COLOMBIAN DRUG DEALERS AND OTHER UNDESIRABLE ELEMENTS.

2.  [REDACTED PARAGRAPH]