1990 : Noriega surrenders to U.S.
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.
In 1981, Omar Torrijos died in a plane crash and after a two-year
power struggle, Noriega emerged as general of Panama's military
forces. He became the country's de facto leader, fixing presidential
elections so he could install his own puppet officials. Noriega's rule
was marked by corruption and violence. He also became a double agent,
selling American intelligence secrets to Cuba and Eastern European
governments. In 1987, when Panamanians organized protests against
Noriega and demanded his ouster, he declared a national emergency,
shut down radio stations and newspapers and forced his political
enemies into exile.
That year the United States cut off aid to Panama and tried to get
Noriega to resign; in 1988, the U.S. began considering the use of
military action to put an end to his drug trafficking. Noriega voided
the May 1989 presidential election, which included a U.S.-backed
candidate, and in December of that year he declared his country to be
in a state of war with the United States. Shortly afterward, an
American marine was killed by Panamanian soldiers. President George
H.W. Bush authorized "Operation Just Cause," and on December 20, 1989,
13,000 U.S. troops were sent to occupy Panama City, along with the
12,000 already there, and seize Noriega. During the invasion, 23 U.S.
troops were killed in action and over 300 were wounded. Approximately
450 Panamanian troops were killed; estimates for the number of
civilians who died range from several hundred to several thousand,
with thousands injured.
Today, Noriega, derogatorily nicknamed "Pineapple Face" in reference
to his pockmarked skin, is serving his sentence at a federal prison in
Miami.
history.com/tdih.do
1990 : Noriega surrenders to U.S.
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=52300
1521 : Martin Luther excommunicated
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4639
1868 : Meiji Restoration in Japan
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4640
1924 : King Tut's sarcophagus uncovered
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4641
1959 : Alaska admitted into Union
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6765
1967 : Jack Ruby dies before second trial
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4642
#########################################
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.
In 1981, Omar Torrijos died in a plane crash and after a two-year
power struggle, Noriega emerged as general of Panama's military
forces. He became the country's de facto leader, fixing presidential
elections so he could install his own puppet officials. Noriega's rule
was marked by corruption and violence. He also became a double agent,
selling American intelligence secrets to Cuba and Eastern European
governments. In 1987, when Panamanians organized protests against
Noriega and demanded his ouster, he declared a national emergency,
shut down radio stations and newspapers and forced his political
enemies into exile.
That year the United States cut off aid to Panama and tried to get
Noriega to resign; in 1988, the U.S. began considering the use of
military action to put an end to his drug trafficking. Noriega voided
the May 1989 presidential election, which included a U.S.-backed
candidate, and in December of that year he declared his country to be
in a state of war with the United States. Shortly afterward, an
American marine was killed by Panamanian soldiers. President George
H.W. Bush authorized "Operation Just Cause," and on December 20, 1989,
13,000 U.S. troops were sent to occupy Panama City, along with the
12,000 already there, and seize Noriega. During the invasion, 23 U.S.
troops were killed in action and over 300 were wounded. Approximately
450 Panamanian troops were killed; estimates for the number of
civilians who died range from several hundred to several thousand,
with thousands injured.
Today, Noriega, derogatorily nicknamed "Pineapple Face" in reference
to his pockmarked skin, is serving his sentence at a federal prison in
Miami.
history.com/tdih.do
1990 : Noriega surrenders to U.S.
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=52300
1521 : Martin Luther excommunicated
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4639
1868 : Meiji Restoration in Japan
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4640
1924 : King Tut's sarcophagus uncovered
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4641
1959 : Alaska admitted into Union
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6765
1967 : Jack Ruby dies before second trial
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4642
#########################################
No comments:
Post a Comment