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Manuel Antonio Noriega
1938 -
Panamanian general, Commander of the Panamanian Defense Forces from 1983. COL Noriega consolidated the strong-armed rule inherited from GEN Omar Torrijos Herrera , made himself a General and became the de facto leader of Panama.
A one-time operative for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, he was implicated in drug trafficking, the sale of U.S. secrets to Cuba, and other illegal activities.
In January 1988 U.S. officials urged him to step down, but he refused.
On 15 December 1989 GEN Noriega declared Panama was in a state of war against the United States.
Following the murder of a U.S. marine on the streets of Panama City, President George H. W. Bush ordered troops to Panama on 20 December 1989 under Operation Just Cause.
GEN Noriega was captured and brought to the United States to stand trial. He was convicted in April 1992 on charges of racketeering, money laundering, and drug trafficking, and sentenced to 40 years in prison.