Fumigation in Panama    Reported on April 5, 1993

FOIA response from CIA:  A State Department document on US-sponsored Panamanian fumigation (Links fumigating coca with clearing away people) Click on thumbnail to expand MARCH REPORT  OCTOBER REPORT

REPORT BY ORLANDO MENDIETA

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FORCE DESTROYED APPROXIMATELY 69 HECTARES OF COCA LEAF PLANTATIONS THAT WERE DISCOVERED IN FEBRUARY DURING THE "FREE FRONTIER" OPERATION IN DARIEN PROVINCE.

A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC STATES THAT THE COCA PLANTATIONS WERE DESTROYED AS PART OF THE "BURN THE DRUGS"  (CANDELA A LA DROGA) OPERATION CARRIED OUT 0N 3 AND 4 APRIL IN THAT PROVINCE.

ACCORDING TO THE COMMUNIQUE, MAJOR DARIO ARRUE HEADED THE OPERATION AND SAID IT WAS "SUCCESSFUL AND SIMPLE" AS THE DESTRUCTION OF ALL PLANTATIONS WAS FULFILLED.

THE PLANTATIONS WERE DESTROYED WITH SUPPORT FROM THE U. S. STATE DEPARTMENT AND THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (DEA) WHICH PROVIDED THE SPECIAL AIRPLANES AND CHEMICALS NEEDED TO FUMIGATE THE AREA. THE NOTE POINTS OUT THAT THE PERSONNEL WHO CARRIED 011 THE OPERATION WERE ALL PANAMANIAN.

THE DESTROYED COCA LEAF PLANTATIONS WERE LOCATED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TACARCUNA HILL ON PANAMA'S BORDER WITH COLOMBIA.

THE AUTHORITIES SAID THEY FOUND NO COCAINE-PROCESSING LABORATORIES DURING THE OPERATIONS ONLY SMALL HUTS CALLED "KITCHENS" USED TO GATHER THE HARVESTED LEAVES.

THE PRESIDENCY COMMUNIQUE STATES THAT THE "BURN THE DRUGS"  OPERATION GUARANTEES THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE COCA PLANTATIONS THAT HAD BEEN INITIALLY BURNED BY THE MISSION THAT WENT TO DARIEN TO CLEAR THE AREA OF GUERRILLAS AND ILLEGAL ALIENS AND TO INVESTIGATE THE WHEREABOUTS OF THREE MISSIONARIES ALLEGEDLY KIDNAPPED BY COLOMBIAN GUERRILLAS.

ENDALL 5 APR