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Noriega leaves hospital in Panama, returns to jail

Sun Feb 5, 2012 3:39 PM EST
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Associated Press
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<p>FILE - This Dec. 11, 2011 file photo, shows Panama's former strongman Manuel Noriega gesturing while being carried in a wheelchair by a police officer inside El Renacer prison, on the outskirts of Panama City. A police statement issued Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012 says Noriega was taken from the El Renacer prison to Santo Tomas hospital after he had high blood pressure and apparently a brain hemorrhage. Noriega returned to Panama on Dec. 11 and is serving three 20-year sentences for the killings of political opponents in the 1980s.(AP Photo/Esteban Felix)</p>

FILE - This Dec. 11, 2011 file photo, shows Panama's former strongman Manuel Noriega gesturing while being carried in a wheelchair by a police officer inside El Renacer prison, on the outskirts of Panama City. A police statement issued Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012 says Noriega was taken from the El Renacer prison to Santo Tomas hospital after he had high blood pressure and apparently a brain hemorrhage. Noriega returned to Panama on Dec. 11 and is serving three 20-year sentences for the killings of political opponents in the 1980s.(AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

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PANAMA CITY — Medical authorities in Panama say former dictator Manuel Noriega has left a hospital four days after fainting in the prison where he is serving time for murder, embezzlement and corruption.

Health Minister Franklin Vergara says the ex-strongman was returned to the custody of Public Security Ministry officials Thursday.

The 77-year-old Noriega was taken to a hospital Sunday after suffering what appeared to be ill effects of hypertension.

Noriega was toppled by a 1989 U.S. invasion and served 17 years in a U.S. prison for drug trafficking. He was later convicted in France of money laundering.

France sent him home on Dec. 11 to serve a combined 60-year Panamanian prison sentence on murder, embezzlement and corruption charges.

© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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jameseg

I am not a fan of Noriega, but I hate for anyone to suffer health problems. I pray for God's perfect will for him.

  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Sun Feb 5, 2012 4:16 PM EST
krounded

I'm still trying to figure out how it was possible for the US to take a foreign leader out of his country and jail him in this one.

You'll excuse me that I'm not buying the link to drug cartels as a reason. Many South American leaders have those links and we are not down there making a war and whisking them away.

Panama canal? Not really an issue. Noriega would have never tried to control that. He was not going to risk confrontation with the US.

George H. W. Bush vendetta? Now we're getting somewhere.

  • 2 votes
#1.1 - Sun Feb 5, 2012 4:49 PM EST
jameseg

There are many unanswered questions about Noriega and his relationship with the U.S., krounded.

  • 2 votes
#1.2 - Sun Feb 5, 2012 5:18 PM EST
JK-4363698

Jameseg - You might want to cut back on the prozac bro.

  • 1 vote
#1.3 - Sun Feb 5, 2012 5:21 PM EST
chitownty

krounded:I'm with you on this one and was in the military when this went down.My guess is that we had a lot of new hardware from the buildup of the 80s and needed to see how it works.Remember the F-117 Nighthawk was first used in Panama.

  • 2 votes
#1.4 - Sun Feb 5, 2012 5:21 PM EST
krounded

Yes Chitownty, I remember that and the Grenada proving grounds.

    #1.5 - Sun Feb 5, 2012 6:25 PM EST
    Reply
    East Bound and Down

    Quick apologists...talk about how we must save this man!

    • 1 vote
    Reply#2 - Sun Feb 5, 2012 5:33 PM EST
    Midnight Toker 4+20

    He is a CIA agent that's why he has made it this far! The title should read "CIA agent Noriega stable in hospital". The hypocrisy of our democracy is quite sad.

    • 1 vote
    #2.1 - Mon Feb 6, 2012 3:46 PM EST
    Reply
    greg81082-4115372

    I'm sure the CIA will send him a get well card for taking the fall for dope dealing.

    • 1 vote
    Reply#3 - Sun Feb 5, 2012 6:06 PM EST
    scampy-1353624

    This was a former friend of uncle Sam like Saddam ,Osama bin Laden, Suharto,Mubarak etc. etc.

    • 2 votes
    Reply#4 - Mon Feb 6, 2012 4:31 AM EST
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