US agrees to extradite Panama’s Noriega to France

Miami, Florida, US

United States judge William Turnoff has approved his federal government’s request to extradite former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega to France after he is released from US prison next month. 

Noriega, now 73 years old, was dictator of Panama from 1983-1989.  He was a Cold War ally of the US and thus supported by the US government.  Eventually the US became embarrassed of his drug-related activities and began to cut ties. 

Noriega refused to step down from power and continued with illegal drug activities and it is believed that he was involved in disappearances of numerous opposition figures.  In 1988, the US brought drug charges against him and in 1989 President George Bush invaded Panama with 20,000 troops to remove him from power.  He was tried and sentenced in Miami in 1992.

Noriega has asked to return to Panama despite the fact that he had also been tried in absentia there for murder, human rights abuses and corruption.  In particular he was sentenced for beheading a critic in Panama and killing 9 soldiers who tried to remove him from power.

Panama citizens, especially the families of those affected by Noriega, are still waiting for Noriega to be brought to justice in his own country.  If he returns to Panama he may be able to serve his sentence under house arrest due to his age.  Noriega is despised by some in Panama for his actions, but praised by others for standing up to Panama’s European-descended elite who currently dominate Panamanian politics.

According to today’s ruling, Noriega will finish a 17-year jail term in the US next month when he will then be transferred to France to serve the 10-year sentence.  Noriega was convicted in absentia in France and sentenced for money laundering and for purchasing real estate in Paris with proceeds of criminal activity.

Noriega’s lawyers plan to appeal the decision.  They claim that because Noriega was captured as a prisoner of war, he should be repatriated after serving prison time in the US.

World News Australia, Noriega facing extradition, 29 August 2007

Gulf Daily News, Extradition of Noriega approved, 29 August 2007

The Panama News, Noriega’s extradition to France approved, controversy continues here, 28 August 2007

The Washington Post, Panama denied chance to hand justice to Noriega, 28 August 2007