US Court of Appeals 11th Circuit in Atlanta last week decided that Manuel Noriega can be extradited to France directly from the United States in order to face charges of money-laundering. Noriega had hoped to be sent back to Panama to face criminal charges. He argued that since he is not a U.S. citizen, and since he was trialed as a POW under the Geneva Convention that he should be sent back to his native country before facing any new charges in another country other than his own. The Geneva Convention states that after serving their time POW’s should be sent directly to their home country.
Throughout his time in prison Noriega has been treated as a POW under the Geneva Convention, including the right to his rank and uniform, a right to speak to a U.S. military liaison and the right to meet with representatives of the International Red Cross. Noriega has also been housed in quarters that are private and separate from the main prison population. So he has been treated in prison as a POW under the Geneva Convention.
His sentence in the United States ended about a year and a half ago, but he has not been released because of charges he faces in France. France convicted him of money-laundering charges in 1999. The French courts sentenced Noriega to 10 years in prison. The French government plans on giving Noriega a new trial when he is extradited to France. The decision about when he will be extradited to France will be decided by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
If Noriega returned to Panama he would face charges of murder and corruption. He would most likely be put under house arrest upon his arrival until the courts in Panama could begin to organize a prosecution. Most people in their 70s and 80s that face criminal charges in Panama are never held in jail because of their age. But Noriega is such a controversial figure in Panamanian history that it’s doubtful he would be able to live in peace in Panama. Panamanians themselves are not sure exactly what would happen if Noriega returned; here are some of the different possibilities:
Possibility #1 – That Noriega returns and is found guilty and dies in a Panamanian jail. This is unlikely because it would be hard to guarantee Noriega’s security in prison. And because of his age he would not be sent to prison.
Possibility #2 – Noriega comes back to Panama and is sentenced to house arrest and is heavily guarded until his death. This is the possibility that the average man on the street in Panama thinks will happen if Noriega comes back.
Possibility 3 – Noriega returns and the Panamanian government decides not to press charges against him. This possibility depends on who is in power in Panama. If the government in power is from the PRD party then Noriega might have a chance to escape criminal charges. This is doubtful as public and international pressure would demand that charges be brought.
Possibility #4 – That upon his return Noriega is killed by someone carrying out a revenge killing. There are people who still have hate for Noriega and would like to do him harm. The Colombian Cartels that he dealt with are all gone now so don’t look for Colombian drug lords to carry out a hit on Noriega.
It’s very unlikely that Noriega will ever see Panama again - or even France. He will probably stay exactly where he is for some time. His crimes were real and terrible but nothing compared to other Latin American dictators like Pinochet, Strossner, Somoza, and Videla. Noriega’s crime was to be an agent of political instability in a country where the U.S. wants no political instability. Noriega is now a relic of the Cold War and for much of the Cold War Noriega was friend of the U.S., but in the late 80s the Cold War changed in Latin America from promoting security to promoting democracy: democracy and Noriega were polar opposites.
