[WAPO] Gen. Manuel Noriega, the Panamanian strongman and onetime American ally who was toppled from power in a 1989 U.S. invasion and who spent more than two decades imprisoned on drug dealing and conspiracy convictions, has died. He was most likely 83.
The cause of death was not announced but Gen. Noriega had been in intensive care at a hospital for months after complications from surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.
Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela announced the death on Twitter Tuesday morning, saying that the passing closes a chapter in the country’s history.
A career military man, Gen. Noriega led the Panamanian Defense Forces from 1983 until President George H.W. Bush ordered the invasion on Dec. 20, 1989, which followed months of deteriorating relations between Panama and the United States.
Gen. Noriega was a polarizing figure for decades after he was led in chains from Panama by U.S. marshals on Jan. 4, 1990, to a federal prison in Miami. |