On this day, February 5, 1988, former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega was indicted in the United States on charges of drug trafficking, racketeering, and money laundering. The indictment accused Noriega of using his position as Panama’s military leader to facilitate drug smuggling operations, particularly for the Medellín Cartel.
The charges against Noriega came after years of allegations linking him to drug cartels and corruption. Despite once being an ally of the U.S., his ties to organized crime led to growing tensions between Panama and the American government. The indictment set the stage for his eventual downfall, which culminated in the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989, known as Operation Just Cause. Noriega was later captured and sentenced to prison in the U.S. before serving additional sentences in France and Panama.
Fun fact: Before his indictment, Noriega was on the CIA’s payroll for years, reportedly earning hundreds of thousands of dollars for intelligence work.
Trivia question: What year did the United States invade Panama and remove Manuel Noriega from power?
The charges against Noriega came after years of allegations linking him to drug cartels and corruption. Despite once being an ally of the U.S., his ties to organized crime led to growing tensions between Panama and the American government. The indictment set the stage for his eventual downfall, which culminated in the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989, known as Operation Just Cause. Noriega was later captured and sentenced to prison in the U.S. before serving additional sentences in France and Panama.
Fun fact: Before his indictment, Noriega was on the CIA’s payroll for years, reportedly earning hundreds of thousands of dollars for intelligence work.
Trivia question: What year did the United States invade Panama and remove Manuel Noriega from power?
