Noriega

American  

[nawr-ee-ey-guh, nawr-yey] / ˌnɔr iˈeɪ gə, nɔrˈyeɪ /

noun

1. Manuel Antonio, 1934–2017, military leader of Panama 1983–89: captured by U.S. forces and sentenced to prison for drug trafficking 1992.

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Example Sentences

Manuel Noriega, the former Panamanian strongman, made a similar claim after the U.S. invaded his country and captured him in 1989.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

The 1989 Panama invasion was mostly over in a matter of hours, although the U.S. didn’t catch Noriega until days later.

From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026

Whether anything will come of that argument, however, is less clear, as courts in the U.S. have in the past allowed criminal proceedings to continue against individuals captured abroad, including former Panama dictator Manuel Noriega.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 5, 2026

In 1989, the George HW Bush administration removed Panama's military leader Manuel Noriega and brought him to the US to face drug trafficking charges.

From BBC • Jan. 5, 2026

Then one day we heard from a neighbor that Noriega was gone, and suddenly there were voices in the streets again.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez