White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater emphatically denied Monday that President Bush's military and security advisers urged him not to speak at an outdoor rally in Panama.
Fitzwater said the trip was successful despite the chaos that erupted at a rally in a Panama City plaza Thursday after police fired tear gas at demonstrators. Bush and his party were forced to flee.The Los Angeles Times, citing sources in the Pentagon's Southern Command as well as diplomatic sources, reported Sunday that military advisers had warned Bush against speaking in public in Panama City and also cautioned that the Panamanian National Police was ill-trained to cope with riots.
"We were never advised that way by anyone," Fitzwater told reporters. "We were assured that it was safe and that there was no reason not to go."
The Times said the White House pressed ahead with the trip for the political gain of Bush's appearance in the country where U.S. troops overthrew Panamanian dictator Gen. Manuel Noriega in 1989.
"We think it was a very successful trip," said Fitzwater. "The reception there was as warm as any he's received. The crowds along the motorcade route in and out were extremely warm. The crowd at the rally was very warm. They had 10,000 people there . . . all waving flags."