Manuel Noriega
Full Name
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno
Date of Birth
February 11, 1938
Place of Birth
Date of Death
May 29, 2017
Place of Death
Education
- Escuela República de México
- Instituto Nacional
- Studied at the Chorrillos Military School in Lima, Peru
- Attended the School of the Americas
Spouses Names
Not detailed in the provided sources.
Children Names
Not detailed in the provided sources.
Parents Names
- Mother: Moreno
- Father: Ricaurte Noriega
Manuel Noriega was a Panamanian military officer and politician who rose to become the de facto ruler of Panama from 1983 until his ousting in 1989. Born into a poor family, Noriega climbed the ranks of the Panamanian National Guard, eventually becoming its commander. His early career was marked by loyalty to General Omar Torrijos, and he played a significant role in the military coup that brought Torrijos to power. Noriega’s rule was characterized by his complex relationship with the United States. Initially a valued CIA asset, he was involved in various covert operations, including efforts to combat leftist movements in Latin America. However, his involvement in drug trafficking and other illicit activities eventually led to his fall from grace with the U.S. government. In 1989, after Noriega annulled the results of a presidential election and attempted to maintain power through a puppet government, the United States invaded Panama in Operation Just Cause. Noriega sought refuge in the Vatican embassy but surrendered to U.S. forces in January 1990. He was subsequently transported to Miami, where he was tried and convicted on charges of drug trafficking, racketeering, and money laundering. After serving a prison sentence in the United States, Noriega was extradited to France in 2010, where he was convicted of money laundering. In 2011, France agreed to extradite him to Panama, where he faced additional charges related to human rights abuses. Noriega died in 2017 while still in custody in Panama .Noriega’s rule and subsequent trial highlighted issues of U.S. foreign policy, the ethics of international intervention, and the complexities of the fight against drug trafficking. His death marked the end of a controversial chapter in Panamanian and U.S. history