Pedro Miguel González Pinzón

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Pedro Miguel González Pinzón (b. January 1, 1965) is a leading political figure in Panama who was indicted by a U.S. federal court in October 1992 for the June 10, 1992 killing of an American serviceman, Sgt. Zak Hernández, and the serious wounding of another, Sgt. Ronald T. Marshall.

In addition to serving as a deputy in the National Assembly, where he represents the province of Veraguas for the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party, he was elected President (Speaker) of the unicameral National Assembly on September 1, 2007, by a vote of 50-26 (defeating his rival Wigberto Quintero of the Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement).

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[edit] Reaction to the Election of González to President of National Assembly

The U.S. Government regards the June 10, 1992 ambush on the U.S. soldiers to have been an act of terror.[1] Accordingly, the election of the U.S.'s prime suspect gave rise to immediate official protests by the United States Department of State.[2] In early-October 2007, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the election of González Pinzón "deeply troubling" and said that "we have communicated that to the Panamanian government."[3]

Additionally, protests came from the home of Sgt. Hernández, Puerto Rico. Official protests were issued by the Senate of Puerto Rico and its president Kenneth McClintock,[4] and the Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jorge Santini.[5]

[edit] Early life

Pedro Miguel González Pinzón was born on January 1, 1965 to Gerardo González Vernaza (b. April 13, 1929 - d. October 21, 2006), a Panamanian politician who also became President of the National Assembly and head of the PRD party.[6] Gonzáles Pinzón attended the Catholic University of Santa María La Antigua (studying civil engineering) and subsequently worked for the shipping company Veemar.

[edit] Political Environment Leading up to Events of June 10, 1992

In June 1992, González Pinzón and others were protesting the arrest and conviction of Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega during the 1989 United States invasion of Panama. Although many Panamanians felt Noriega's capture was illegal, many other Panamanians welcomed the U.S. action to oust a brutal dictator. Indeed, both the United Nations General Assembly[7] and the Organization of American States[8] ruled that the US invasion of Panama was illegal, despite the fact that it led to the restoration of democracy in Panama. Clearly, none of this political background in any way benefits the legal merits of an unlawful combatant accused of the homicide of a foreign soldier during a time of peace.

[edit] Events of June 10, 1992

On June 10, 1992, the eve of a visit to Panama by then-President George H. W. Bush,[9] Sgt. Zak Hernández and Sgt. Ronald T. Marshall were ambushed while driving in their United States Army Humvee on the outskirts of Panama City (near Chilibre). Sgt. Hernández died from his wounds. González Pinzón was an immediate suspect. Three witnesses put him at the scene and others witnesses saw him in the Toyota from which the shots were fired. The Toyota was later found on his father's farm.[10]

[edit] Return and Acquittal

Immediately after the incident, it is believed that González Pinzón disappeared to either the Dominican Republic or Cuba for several years. Once his family's party, the PRD, returned to power, González Pinzón was brought back to Panama in 1995 to surrender to Panamanian President Ernesto Perez Balladares in an arrangement directed by González Pinzón's father, Gerardo González (then-President of the National Assembly and founder of the PRD party). After two years of confinement in luxury surroundings, González Pinzón was acquitted in a 1997 trial marred by witness intimidation, harassment of the prosecutor, and ex parte communications by the judge with González's father and others.[11] All seven jurors were civil servants who owed their jobs to the PRD. Sources close to the trial cited this as an example of jury nullification.[12] The U.S. government and other independent observers maintain that the trial was a sham resulting from Panama's notoriously corrupt judiciary, where cronyism and influence peddling remain common.[citation needed] Longtime González friend and now current PRD leader and Panamanian President, Martín Torrijos, was Vice Minister of Government and Justice at the time of González's trial.

[edit] Subsequent Legal Proceedings

According to many media reports, González Pinzón has contracted the services of a U.S.-based attorney, Greg Craig of the firm Williams & Connolly,[13], perhaps to negotiate a deal in the U.S. The Dallas Morning News recently criticized U.S. Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama for retaining attorney Craig as a top campaign advisor.[14]

[edit] Panamanian Public Opinion

Some Panamanians, including those whose political views run counter to those of González, felt that the U.S. State Department's statement was an act of interference in Panamanian affairs. However, an October 2007 public opinion poll conducted by Dichter & Neira revealed that about 50% of Panamanians believe that González should resign,[15] as he represents an obstacle to U.S. ratification of the pending Panama-US Free Trade Agreement.[16] Only about 24% believe he should remain in place as National Assembly President.[citation needed]

[edit] Impact on U.S.-Panama FTA

González himself said in his September 1 acceptance speech that he would step down if his election obstructs U.S. ratification of the trade agreement.[citation needed] However, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, he continues to deny that his presence represents such an obstacle and he has shown no indication that he plans to resign. For instance, the magazine Congressional Quarterly said in October 2007: "Of the three [pending deals with Panama, Colombia, and Korea], the Panama deal had appeared to be the best candidate for passage, until the recent election of Pedro Miguel González as leader of Panama’s National Assembly."[17] In an October 2007 article in the Los Angeles Times, U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate's Finance Committee, was quoted as saying that González's election was "a serious impediment to the U.S. Congress' consideration of the U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement."[18] In a November 8, 2007 press release, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) said that "as long as the head of Panama's National Assembly is a fugitive from justice in America, I cannot support that agreement."[19]

In mid-January 2008, in an attempt to break this logjam, President Martín Torrijos "has made private appeals to his party to get Mr González to step aside before the latter's term ends in September."[20]

[edit] Other González Policies

González favors stronger Panamanian ties with the Communist Party of Cuba and signed a Special Declaration of the Panama-Cuba Friendship Inter-Parliamentary Group criticizing the U.S. detention of the Cuban Five spies.[21]

In December 2007, the Panamanian National Assembly declaring December 20th to be an official day of mourning for those Panamanians killed during the 1989 invasion by the United States.[22] González authored that bill, which was then passed unanimously by the National Assembly. Panamanian President Torrijos, however, vetoed the bill on February 29, 2008.[23]

In January 2008, after ceremonies in Panama marking Martyr's Day (remembering students killed in a 1964 clash with U.S. soldiers over the Panama Canal),[24] the web site of the Panamanian legislature was hacked. Media accounts claim a relationship between the hacking of the web site and dissatisfaction with González.[25]

[edit] Announcement Regarding Not Seeking Reelection

On March 7, 2008, Panamanian media sources reported that González will not seek reelection to the post as head of the National Assembly when his term ends on August 31, 2008.[26]

[edit] References

  1. ^ U.S. State Department, Patterns of Global Terrorism, 1997.
  2. ^ U.S. Dept. of State statement on election of González.
  3. ^ Los Angeles Times article of Oct. 11, 2007.
  4. ^ (Spanish) Senate of Puerto Rico Resolution 3342 of September 6, 2007.
  5. ^ (Spanish) Official announcement of San Juan Mayor Santini on September 11, 2007.
  6. ^ See biography at PRD web site.
  7. ^ U.N. General Assembly Resolution 240.
  8. ^ Excerpt from December 22, 1989 OAS resolution which passed 20-1 with 6 abstentions.
  9. ^ See State Department web site listing foreign travel of President Bush.
  10. ^ New York Times article from 1997 about murder.
  11. ^ New York Times article from 1997 about murder.
  12. ^ Article from December 1997 Panamá Update with cites to contemporary articles.
  13. ^ Greg Craig, U.S. attorney representing González.
  14. ^ Dallas Morning News editorial of January 14, 2008 criticizing Obama ties to González Pinzón's attorney.
  15. ^ (Spanish) Poll by Dichter & Neira showing 50.3% of Panamanians hope that González will resign.
  16. ^ New York Times article of November 28, 2007 about González.
  17. ^ Congressional Quarterly article from October 26, 2007.
  18. ^ Los Angeles Times article of Oct. 11, 2007.
  19. ^ Sen. Hillary Clinton press release of November 8, 2007.
  20. ^ Economist article of January 17, 2008.
  21. ^ Cuban News Agency article from October 12, 2007 on Cuban Five declaration.
  22. ^ International Herald Tribune article of December 20, 2007.
  23. ^ International Herald Tribune story of February 29, 2008.
  24. ^ AP article of January 10, 2008.
  25. ^ U.K. Guardian article of January 22, 2008.
  26. ^ Reuters article of March 7, 2008.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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