Manuel Noriega and the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama | 60 Minutes Full Episodes
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Operation Just Cause, intended to restore democracy and combat drugs, resulted in increased poverty, a 300% rise in murder rates, and a more robust drug trade in Panama.
- ❖The U.S.-installed democratic government in Panama quickly faced corruption scandals, leading some citizens to prefer the stability of Noriega's dictatorship.
- ❖Manuel Noriega asserted that the U.S. indictment against him was a political vendetta, driven by his refusal to support U.S. operations against Nicaragua and to ensure continued U.S. military presence post-Panama Canal handover.
- ❖Noriega's defense team presented evidence suggesting U.S. prosecutors relied on unreliable witnesses, including one allegedly paid by the Cali cartel to testify.
- ❖Despite being indicted for drug trafficking, Noriega possessed numerous commendation letters from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for his anti-drug efforts.
Insights
1Post-Invasion Panama's Deterioration
Five years after Operation Just Cause, Panama experienced a significant decline in living standards and security. The poor became poorer, the murder rate increased by nearly 300%, and drug trafficking, money laundering, and corruption were more pervasive than under Noriega's rule. Guns became widespread and legal, and a domestic drug-using problem emerged, with cocaine prices dropping drastically.
The poor have gotten poorer. The murder rate has soared nearly 300% since the invasion. Panameanians are armed to the teeth. All are bigger today than ever. (-), Guns which had been rare, are everywhere and legal. Panama became a mirror image of the United States. It now has an epidemicized drug using problem. (-)
2Noriega's Claim of Political Indictment
Manuel Noriega asserted that the U.S. drug trafficking indictment against him was a political maneuver, not based on genuine criminal activity. He claimed the U.S. sought to remove him to prevent Panama from fully regaining sovereignty over the Panama Canal in 1999 and to maintain a U.S. military presence in the region for aggressive purposes.
The problem is the Panama Canal. They want the US military presence here after the year 2000. The presence of US troops here offends the nation of Panama. (-)
3Contradictory U.S. Stance on Noriega's Drug Activities
Despite being indicted for drug trafficking, Noriega presented numerous letters of commendation from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) praising his 'long-standing support' and 'personal commitment' to anti-drug operations. The DEA administrator, John Lawn, stood by these commendations even after Noriega's indictment.
He's received dozens of letters of commendation from the US Drug Enforcement Administration? (-), Your long-standing support of the Drug Enforcement Administration is greatly appreciated. Signed, John, Administrator, DEA. (-), John Lawn... said he stands by everything he wrote. (-)
4Noriega's Refusal of U.S. Demands as Turning Point
Noriega claimed his relationship with the U.S. soured when he refused two key demands: first, to close the School of the Americas, and second, to allow Panama to be used as a 'spearhead' for a U.S.-backed invasion of Nicaragua, including training Contras on Panamanian soil.
It began when he demanded that the school of the Americas... be closed down. That was the first no. (-), Oliver North... tried to get Noriega to help in a secret war against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua... The second no was Po Dexter. (-)
5Questionable Witness Credibility in Noriega's Trial
Noriega's lead attorney, Frank Rabbino, highlighted significant issues with the credibility of witnesses in Noriega's U.S. drug trial. More than half the witnesses were convicted felons, and the 'dynamite witness,' Ricardo Bologanic, allegedly received a sweetheart deal for his testimony and was reportedly paid $1.25 million by the Cali cartel to testify against Noriega.
More than half the witnesses were convicted felons. The government's so-called dynamite witness was a trafficker named Ricardo Bologonic... Ricardo Bologanic was paid by the Cali cartel $1,250,000 to testify against General Noriega. (-)
Bottom Line
The U.S. Justice Department may have indirectly collaborated with the Cali cartel to secure Noriega's conviction, by allowing a key witness to be paid by the cartel in exchange for testimony.
This suggests a potentially unethical and legally questionable tactic by U.S. authorities, undermining the integrity of the legal process and raising questions about the true motivations behind Noriega's prosecution.
Investigate the extent of such collaborations in other high-profile drug cases and push for reforms that prevent the use of compromised witnesses or deals with criminal organizations.
Some Panamanians, including those who fought against Noriega's dictatorship, expressed a preference for the stability under Noriega over the corruption and increased crime experienced under the U.S.-imposed democracy.
This challenges the simplistic notion that democracy is always superior, especially when imposed externally without addressing underlying societal issues, and highlights the trade-offs between liberty and order.
Develop nation-building strategies that prioritize genuine local ownership and address fundamental economic and social stability before or alongside democratic reforms, rather than assuming democracy alone will solve all problems.
Noriega's frozen assets, amounting to $20 million, were claimed by him to be payments from the U.S. government for his role as an ally, not from drug trafficking.
This claim, if true, indicates a long-standing, covert financial relationship between the U.S. and Noriega, further complicating the narrative of him solely as a drug kingpin and suggesting a deeper entanglement than publicly acknowledged.
Examine historical records of U.S. payments to foreign assets to understand the full scope of such relationships and their potential impact on U.S. foreign policy and international relations.
Key Concepts
Unintended Consequences
Actions taken to achieve specific outcomes often produce unforeseen and undesirable results, as seen with Operation Just Cause leading to increased crime and drug trade rather than stability and democracy.
Blowback
Covert operations or interventions by a powerful nation can create long-term negative repercussions for that nation, exemplified by the U.S.'s complex relationship with Noriega and the subsequent destabilization of Panama.
Imposed Democracy
The attempt to establish democratic governance through external force often struggles to take root, leading to corruption, lack of public trust, and a preference for previous, more stable authoritarian regimes among the populace.
Lessons
- Policymakers should critically evaluate the long-term societal and economic impacts of military interventions, recognizing that immediate objectives may not align with sustainable stability or improved living conditions.
- Governments considering 'imposed democracy' must address underlying issues of poverty, crime, and institutional weakness, as simply holding elections does not guarantee a functional or popular democratic system.
- Legal systems must ensure the highest standards of witness credibility and transparency, especially in politically charged cases, to avoid accusations of manipulation or collaboration with criminal elements.
Notable Moments
Panamanian citizens, including a constitutional law professor and a priest, express that post-invasion Panama is worse off than under Noriega, citing increased crime, poverty, and corruption.
This directly contradicts the U.S.'s stated goals for Operation Just Cause and highlights the profound disillusionment with 'imposed democracy' among the very people it was meant to liberate.
Manuel Noriega claims the U.S. indictment against him was a political conspiracy, specifically to secure continued U.S. military presence in Panama beyond the 1999 Canal handover and to punish him for refusing to aid U.S. efforts against Nicaragua.
This provides a powerful counter-narrative to the official U.S. justification for the invasion, framing it as a geopolitical power play rather than a moral crusade against drugs.
Noriega's attorney reveals that a key witness against Noriega was allegedly paid $1.25 million by the Cali cartel to testify, suggesting a potential unholy alliance between the U.S. Justice Department and a major drug cartel.
This revelation severely compromises the integrity of Noriega's trial and raises serious questions about the ethical and legal boundaries crossed by U.S. prosecutors in pursuit of a conviction.
Quotes
"The poor have gotten poorer. The murder rate has soared nearly 300% since the invasion. Panameanians are armed to the teeth. Even the most routine transaction requires private protection. Just Cause was designed to stop drug trafficking, money laundering, and corruption. All are bigger today than ever."
"During the Noriega years, he was the chief. He has the monopoly and the control of the money laundering and the drug traffickers. Now we have more money laundering and more drug traffickers than before."
"What disturbs me is that 50% of our population is poor. That we have a polarization that we never had before. And that we have what I would call a social time bomb."
"If you could choose right now, bring Noriega back and get rid of this democratically elected government, which would you choose? I choose bring me bring back Noriega."
"There is a political conspiracy of the United States against Panama. Not against Noriega, against Panama."
"I would not want to dignify, much less lend credibility to anything Manuel Noriega might have to say. He is an incarcerated, convicted drug trafficker who has poisoned the lives of millions of American kids."
"Ricardo Bologanic was paid by the Cali cartel $1,250,000 to testify against General Noriega and was also told that he basically had one of two choices. He could collect the million and a quarter, he could come and testify or he could be buried there."
Q&A
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