Panama’s former dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega died in Panama City late Monday, physically diminished after decades of imprisonment for crimes committed during his 1983-1989 rule.
Noriega, 83, passed away in Panama City’s public Santo Tomas hospital where he had been recovering from early March surgery to remove a brain tumor, and a subsequent operation to clean up cerebral bleeding.
The announcement of his death was made by government communications secretary Manuel Dominguez.
“Mr. Noriega died tonight (late Monday),” Dominguez told AFP.
Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela wrote on Twitter that Noriega’s death “closed a chapter in our history.” He said the ex- strongman’s family “deserved to bury him in peace.”
Noriega had been serving lengthy prison sentences in Panama for murder and forced disappearances during his dictatorship.
The former dictator had been granted temporary release on February 28 from his prison overlooking the Panama Canal to undergo surgery.
Following years of ill-health that included respiratory problems, prostate cancer and depression, Noriega’s family pleaded with authorities to him to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest.
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