UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD PANAMA

SEC. 1403. UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD PANAMA (a) Findings.—The Congress makes the following findings: (1) The executive, judicial, and legislative branches of the Government of Panama are now under the influence and control of the Panamanian Defense Forces. (2) A broad coalition of church, business, labor, civic, and political groups in Panama has called for an objective and thorough investigation of allegations concerning serious violations of law by certain officials of the Government of Panama and the Panamanian Defense Forces and has insisted that General Noriega and others involved relinquish their official positions until such an investigation has been completed. (3) The Panamanian people continue to be denied the full rights and protections guaranteed by their constitution, as evidenced by continuing censorship and the closure of the independent media, arrests without due process, and instances of the use of excessive force by the Panamanian Defense Forces. (4) Political unrest and social turmoil in Panama can only be resolved if the Government of Panama begins to demonstrate respect for and adherence to all provisions of the Panamanian constitution. (b) Policy.—Therefore, it is the sense of Congress that, subject to the condition expressed in subsection (c), the United States should take the following actions: 101 STAT. 1178 (1) Cease all economic and military assistance provided to the Government of Panama under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Arms Export Control Act, other than assistance to meet immediate humanitarian concerns. (2) Suspend all shipments of military equipment (including spare parts for military equipment) to the Government of Panama or to any of its agencies or institutions. (3) Reassess whether the United States should terminate the importation into the United States of sugar, syrup, and molasses produced in Panama and reallocate among other foreign countries the quantities of such products that otherwise would be imported from Panama. (c) Conditions.—It is further the sense of Congress that the United States should take the actions described in subsection (b) unless, within 45 days after the date of the enactment of this Act— (1) the Government of Panama has demonstrated substantial progress in the effort to assure civilian control of the armed forces and that the Panama Defense Forces and its leaders have been removed from nonmilitary activities and institutions; (2) the Government of Panama has established an independent investigation into allegations of illegal actions by members of the Panama Defense Forces; (3) a nonmilitary transitional government is in power; and (4) all constitutional guarantees, including freedom of the press, have been restored to the people of Panama.