Manuel Noriega Essay Research Paper Ahmad Abazari12399Period

Manuel Noriega Essay, Research Paper

Ahmad Abazari

12/3/99

Period 1

Manuel Noriega

Semester History Project

Introduction:

Manuel Noriega (1934-.), former dictator of Panama, found guilty of drug trafficking, racketeering, and money laundering by the United States Jury. He was born in Panama City. After on a scholarship at the Chorrillos Military Academy in Lima, Peru, Noriega returned to Panama and was commissioned a sub-lieutenant in the National Guard. Close to the military strong man Omar Torrijos, Noriega advanced quickly and was appointed chief military intelligence when Torrijos seized power in 1969. In that position Noriega became the most feared man in the country. After the death of Torrijos in an airplane crash on 1981, Noriega became chief of staff to General Dario Pardes, head of the National Guard. Noriega promoted himself and gained affective control over the government. In 1986 charges of drug trafficking emerged, and in 1989 US forces invaded Panama, and in 1992 sentenced to 40 years imprisonment. Noriega will possibly be considered parole in the year 2002.

Childhood & Schooling:

Manuel Antonio Noriega was born on February 2, 1936, in Terraplen, Panama. Details on his early life are sketchy; his father Ricaurte Noriega, was an accountant and earned a modest income doing books for small businesses. His mother Maria Moreno, worked as a cook and laundress. It was unclear if his father and mother were ever married, although his father acknowledged paternity, by giving his son a full name, Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno. Both of his parents left Manuel and the circumstances of his departure could not be learned. His grandmother raised him as an orphan. From Manuel.s childhood

he had access to the presidential palace, the National Guard, and the Union Club. Growing up with foreign sailors and prostitutes and with a daily life filled with drunkenness and violence, Noriega became street smart without becoming tough (www.umi.com/support/k11/greatevents/noriega.html). His nickname was .Tony. which only his friends called him. He was constantly beaten upon as a kid because he was small for his age and the bigger kids would pick on him. He was caught and beaten enough that by the time he was a teenager he carried a small pistol with him. As he grew older he was usually at the top of his class; he began living with Louis Carlos an organizer of the Socialist party and soon also became a recruit of the Socialist party. Noriega was not a full Panamanian, but his family line also consisted of Spanish and African American races; Panamanian people called them Creole. In Noriega.s high school yearbook he listed .President of the republic,. as his major goal. In the late 1960s Noriega was recruited as an undercover agent for the CIA (www.umi.com/support/k11/greatevents/noriega.html). He wanted to be a psychiatrist, and applied to the University of Panama Medical School, but did not get in. He changed his motive to become a psychiatrist and sought to become a scientist. One of his friends Boris Martinez told him that he had run out of money to pay for the college and was going to graduate from military school in Mexico and qualify for second lieutenant. This is when Noriega decided to join the military school and apply for a high ranking soldier in the Nation Guard which he accomplished and found a reputation a being one of the most feared men in Panama.

Military:

Because of Noriega.s knowledge he was given a scholarship at the Chorrios Military Academy. After completing the Academy one of his good friends Lieutenant Colonel Omar Torrijos gave him a high position in the National Guard as lieutenant. After Noriega became lieutenant he found a reputation of being a very feared and powerful man. When the president of Panama Marco Robles was overthrown, Omar Torrijos took power and became general; he helped Noriega to again take an even higher position in the National Guard as captain. Noriega increased the size and the powers of the military, giving it control over much of Panama.s government and economy. In a few months his once good friend was accused of treason, once Torrijos heard this he wanted to leave the city to David garrison. That night while he was going there his plane crashed and he died. In the years after Torrijos.s death, civilian and National Guard leaders maneuvered for power. In 1983 a winner emerged, that winner was Manuel Antonio Noriega. The former head of the intelligence service was now the head of the National Guard Noriega took power. Although he did not hold a political office, as commander of the military he controlled the government. Astute and ruthless, Noriega built up the size of the military, which he renamed Panama Defense Forces, and greatly increased its power over the nation.s political life and its economy. Panama.s power had grown so much that it was being known of in the US, the States even gave economic support to the country (Microsoft Encarta 99). Although in many peoples eyes he was seen as an incompetent ruler because he only cared about the power and growth of the military.

Dictatorship:

The Noriega years witnessed widespread corruption, repression of the political opposition, and a trouble economy. Noriega made little pretence of following the constitution and rigged elections. Noriega was accused of ordering the tor