Manuel Antonio Noriega, Panamanian military leader, commander of the Panamanian National Defense Forces from 1983–89, who, for the years of his command, was the actual power behind the civilian president ousted the civilian president 1985 and became the de facto leader of Panama. Upon his return to Panama from school in Peru, he was commissioned a sublieutenant in the National Guard and stationed in Colón, where he became acquainted with Captain Omar Torrijos. Noriega was promoted …showed first 75 words of 288 total…

…showed last 75 words of 288 total…to the rank of general. Charges against Noriega mounted in the mid-1980s over events connected with the blatant and brutal murder of Hugo Spadafora, a vocal opponent. Further evidence of the laundering of drug money and the sale of restricted American technology and information brought an inevitable conflict with the U.S. government to a head, particularly in light of the imminent transfer of power agreed upon in the Panama Canal Treaty. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**