Panama's Noriega to be Released from US Prison in September (Pineapple Face going home)

Voice of America ^ | January 24, 2007 | Lisa Ferdinando

[HAL9000]

The defense attorney for Manuel Noriega says the former Panamanian dictator is to be released from a Miami prison in September. Lisa Ferdinando reports from Miami.

Noriega has been in U.S. custody since surrendering 17 years ago during the U.S. invasion of Panama.

He is currently serving a 30-year sentence for drug trafficking and money laundering.

"He has now come to the point where he has served what is known as his mandatory release time, which means the government must release him from custody on September 9th this year," said Frank Rubino, Noriega's attorney.

Rubino says good behavior was one of the factors considered for the release. He says his client plans return to Panama once out of U.S. custody.

"He has only been to the United States three times in his whole life and has no desire to stay here," he said. "Like anyone else, he wants to return to his home."

But in Panama, Noriega was convicted in absentia on murder charges, and Rubino says his client plans to defend himself in that case.

"When he returns to Panama, he will, through his lawyers, make a motion to reopen that trial so he can participate in it," he said.

Rubino says Noriega plans to do the same to fight a conviction in France.

Noriega ruled Panama for most of the 1980s. He was toppled by the U.S. invasion of Panama which began December 1989.

[WoofDog123]

completely different dictators. Chavez is a megalomaniac ideologue in permanent confrontation mode with the US.

Noriega was a normal despot who took power after a charismatic despot died, and was more concerned with money, power, and had a long-running relationship with the CIA which apparently began to sour in the mid-80's for a number of reasons.

Personally I am surprised he is going to go back to panama, as I assume he might be able to go to Spain or another country (unless the french warrant is valid in spain as well).

[WoofDog123]

"Who operates the canal?"

panamanian government, via the ACP. Trick question?

" Who do you think will make him a hereo of the people? Its coming."

I never say never but he has some formidable hurdles to get over. It seems extremely unlikely.

[LukeL]

I thought he was going to be Oxycuted?

[WoofDog123]

Is the soon-to-be-ex-con anti-american, though? Seriously, he had a good relationship with the US for over a decade, didn't make trouble for US interests until the school of the americas issue and the subsequent indictments in FL and then the sanctions the US crippled the economy with etc.,,,

Until this, the US had no problem with dictators in Panama, or any number of places in latin america.

[WoofDog123]

Noriega said in his book that in a meeting with carter right before the annulled 89 elections carter treated him with something like contempt, told him to give it up, leave panama., etc. This is from memory. Apparently Noriega didn't meet the charisma test that others (torrijos, chavez, how many others) do to become carter's new daddy figure.