He famously waved a machete at a rally while vowing not to leave, and in May 1989 he nullified elections that observers say were handily won by the opposition.ĭuring his years at a minimum-security federal prison outside Miami, Noriega got special prisoner of war treatment, allowed to wear his Panamanian military uniform and insignia when in court. imposed economic sanctions designed to drive him from power. Initially he reacted with defiance as the U.S. The beginning of his downfall came in 1988 when federal grand juries in the Florida cities of Miami and Tampa indicted Noriega on drug trafficking charges. seize drug loads at sea and track money laundering in Panama's banks, and reported on guerrilla and terrorist activities.īut Washington ultimately soured on him, especially after a top political opponent was killed in 1985 and Noriega appeared to join forces with Latin American drug traffickers.įoes in the Panamanian military tried several coups but failed, and their leaders were summarily executed by firing squad. throughout Latin America, including acting as a liaison to Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Noriega was considered a valued CIA asset and was paid millions of dollars for assistance to the U.S. Koster, an American novelist and biographer of Noriega. Noriega ruled with an iron fist, ordering the deaths of those who opposed him and maintaining a murky, close and conflictive relationship with the United States.Īt the apex of his power he wielded great influence outside the country as well thanks to longstanding relationships with spy agencies around the world, said R.M. Two years after Torrijos died in a mysterious plane crash in 1981, Noriega became the head of the armed forces and Panama's de facto ruler. intelligence agencies guarding against possible threats to the canal. Omar Torrijos, who became Panama's de facto leader after a 1968 coup.Īs Torrijos' intelligence chief, Noriega monitored political opponents and developed close ties with U.S. He joined Panama's Defense Forces in 1962 and steadily advanced through the ranks, mainly through loyalty to his mentor, Gen. 11, 1934, and was raised by foster parents. Manuel Antonio Noriega was born poor in Panama City on Feb. He was imprisoned first in Florida, then in France, and finally at home in Panama, where he died on Monday at age 83. Ten days later, he finally surrendered and was whisked to Miami. troops bombarded the mission with thunderous rock and rap music. military forces have directly toppled a government in the Americas.Īfter a few days of fighting, the Central American dictator fled to asylum at the Vatican Embassy on Christmas Eve, setting off a bizarre siege in which U.S. Bush sent American troops into Panama City to arrest Noriega - the last of several times that U.S. So in December 1989, President George H.W. Judge dismisses Noriega lawsuit over 'Call of Duty' Officials in Washington - and grand juries in Florida - decided he was in cahoots with the drug traffickers he once helped fight.ĭaughters: Panama ex-dictator Noriega critical after surgery The populist strongman who had long cooperated with the CIA was growing increasingly independent, more embarrassingly thuggish.
strategic asset, the Panama Canal, and in a region where America was fighting a series of proxy wars against Soviet allies.īut things were going sour. governments as he rose to power in a country defined by a U.S. At least that's the way it looked from Washington.įor years, the Panamanian military man had been a close and sometimes clandestine ally of U.S.
PANAMA CITY (AP) - Manuel Noriega had become a problem. Watch Video: Noriega, Panama's former dictator, dies at 83