Manuel Noriega

Manuel Noriega was a General who ruled Panama from 1983 to 1989. In late 1989, the United States invaded Panama and deposed Noriega.

Fast Facts:

1. Born: February 11, 1934
2. Birthplace: Panama City, Panama
3. Education: Military School of Chorrillos, Lima, Peru
4. Residence: Federal Correction Institution, Miami, Florida
5. Assumed office: August, 1983
6. Left office: January 3, 1990
7. Formerly employed by CIA

Rise to Power

A native of Panama, Noriega received intelligence and counterintelligence training in the United States and was on the payroll of the Central Intelligence Agency since the early 1970s. In the 1980s, Noriega consolidated his power, promoting himself to full general in 1983. He was a close ally of the United States, pledging to help the Reagan administration in their efforts to destabilize the Sandinista government in Nicaragua.

U.S. Invasion

After the Iran-Contra Affair, Noriega became more of a liability than an asset. In 1988, the DEA indicted Noriega on charge of drug trafficking. The next year, Noriega voided national elections. Following the shooting death of a U.S. Marine in Panama City, President George H. W. Bush authorized a military invasion of the Caribbean nation with the aim of deposing the dictator. After a standoff, Noriega surrendered to U.S. forces on January 3, 1990.

Imprisonment and Sentencing

In April, 1992, Noriega was extradited to Florida, where he was imprisoned, put on trial for drug trafficking, convicted, and sentenced to 40 years in prison. He remains in federal prison in Miami.

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