Noreiga to be extradited to Panama

The Associated Press/Stars & Stripes reports that france is going to extradite Manuel Noriega, former Panama strongman and the intended target of the Just Cause operation, back to his home country.

“We are not aware of (an extradition decision) nor why Mr. Noriega’s lawyers would give such news,” Panama’s Foreign Relations Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs and Treaties Vladimir Franco told The Associated Press.

Franco said that once France informs Panama that it has approved Noriega’s extradition, the Central American country would have to arrange for his transfer to a Panamanian prison. He said that could take one to three weeks.

Last I heard, France wouldn’t extradite Noreiga because he faced the death penalty for a murder charge. Panama must’ve vacated the penalty in an agreement with France as a condition of the extradition.

My mother-in-law went to school with Noriega where she says his nickname was “Little boots” because his feet are so small. She tried to get him to intervene when I was in jail in Panama for kidnapping and he was just a lieutenant colonel under his predecessor, General Omar Torrijos. Of course, he didn’t intervene and I was released a few weeks after my arrest, because…well…I didn’t kidnap anyone.

Now, after 22 years in prison, Noreiga is looking at another 20 years in a Panama prison. I can tell him from experience that it’s not as nice as the prisons to which he’s accustomed.