Tag: Noriega

“Our Man in Panama” is Dead

Guest Post by Mark Nestmann

Manuel Noriega, former dictator of Panama, died May 29 at age 83.

Americans under the age of 40 have little memory of Noriega because he spent the last 27 years of his life in prison. But his legacy can’t be ignored. It set the stage for two wars in Iraq, one in Afghanistan, and US military involvement in at least six other Middle Eastern countries.

Born poor in Panama City in 1934, Noriega worked his way up through the ranks of the military and even graduated from the infamous School of the Americas, a US military training facility that specializes in training Latin Americans for leadership roles in their respective countries.

Noriega eventually became chief of military intelligence for the government of General Omar Torrijos, another graduate of the School of the Americas, who took power in a 1968 coup. By that time, Noriega was already considered a valuable asset to the CIA. In 1971, the agency placed Noriega on its payroll.

Continue reading ““Our Man in Panama” is Dead”

THIS DAY IN HISTORY – Noriega surrenders to U.S. – 1990

Via History.com

On this day in 1990, Panama’s General Manuel Antonio Noriega, after holing up for 10 days at the Vatican embassy in Panama City, surrenders to U.S. military troops to face charges of drug trafficking. Noriega was flown to Miami the following day and crowds of citizens on the streets of Panama City rejoiced. On July 10, 1992, the former dictator was convicted of drug trafficking, money laundering and racketeering and sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Noriega, who was born in Panama in 1938, was a loyal soldier to General Omar Torrijos, who seized power in a 1968 coup. Under Torrijos, Noriega headed up the notorious G-2 intelligence service, which harassed and terrorized people who criticized the Torrijos regime. Noriega also became a C.I.A. operative, while at the same time getting rich smuggling drugs.

Continue reading “THIS DAY IN HISTORY – Noriega surrenders to U.S. – 1990”