Manuel Noriega, who had served as the de facto leader of Panama from 1983 until January 1990, was sentenced to 40 years in prison by a U.S. federal court in Miami. His capture came after decades of increasing U.S. hostility towards his regime, culminating in the U.S. invasion of Panama in December 1989. Noriega was extradited from the U.S. military custody after the invasion and faced multiple charges stemming from his close ties to drug cartels and the trafficking of narcotics into the United States. The evidence against him detailed a wide-reaching operation that utilized government resources to facilitate his illicit activities.The trial revealed Noriega's connections with Colombian drug lords and outlined his role in transforming Panama into a key transshipment point for cocaine destined for the United States. Throughout the proceedings, Noriega maintained that his actions were in support of U.S. interests during the Cold War, but the evidence presented painted a different picture, showing a calculated effort to profit from the drug trade. The jury ultimately found him guilty on numerous counts, including conspiracy and drug trafficking, leading to his sentencing.The sentence was viewed as a landmark decision, sending a strong message about the consequences of government corruption and criminal involvement in drug trafficking. It also had implications for U.S.-Latin American relations, reinforcing the notion that leaders engaging in illegal activities would face legal repercussions, regardless of their political stature or prior affiliations with the U.S. government.