Noriega Indicted: The Fall of Panama's Dictator
A federal grand jury in Miami indicted Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega on drug trafficking and money laundering charges on February 5, 1988, marking the first time the United States criminally charged a sitting head of state. Noriega had been a CIA asset for years, funneling intelligence from Central America while simultaneously running cocaine through Panama for the Medellin cartel. His usefulness ended when the Cold War wound down and his drug connections became publicly embarrassing. The indictment made diplomatic removal impossible because Noriega had nothing to gain by surrendering. President George H.W. Bush launched Operation Just Cause on December 20, 1989, invading Panama with 27,000 troops. Noriega hid in the Vatican embassy before surrendering on January 3, 1990, reportedly driven out by US troops blasting rock music at the building. He was convicted in Miami in 1992 and spent seventeen years in American prisons.
February 5, 1988
38 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on February 5
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