U.S. invasion of Panama
◾ On December 20, 1989, the United States invaded Panama in what amounted to a grave violation of international law.
Carried out without a UN mandate, the intervention left hundreds of civilians dead, and tens of thousands homeless. The exact number of casualties has not been established to this day. This operation came as another manifestation of the US neo-colonial policy in the spirit of the archaic Monroe Doctrine.
❗ The US armed forces used the false pretext of “restoring democracy” and defending the rights of US nationals to carry out an act of military aggression against this Central American nation and depose its unwanted government led by Manuel Noriega, who had opted for more independence in his foreign policy.
It must be noted that Manuel Noriega, who commanded Panama’s Defence Forces and was the de facto ruler in Panama, had spent many years working with the CIA to promote Washington’s interests in the region. However, by the late 1980s he was no longer a convenient figure for the United States. In fact, Panama’s leader started covertly cooperating with Cuba and Nicaragua, while reports about his links to the US intelligence services leaked to the media, which was a blow for George H.W. Bush’s reputation, who personally oversaw contacts with Noriega as CIA Director and Vice-President. Efforts by Panama’s leader to reinforce the country’s Defence Forces, as well as a possible overture to the Soviet Union also caused concern in Washington.
The United States could not allow this country to drop out of its sphere of influence because of the Panama Canal, a strategic transport artery traversing Panama.
The White House and North American media launched a large-scale campaign to discredit Manuel Noriega ahead of the military operation. They cast Panama’s leader as a drug baron and an American court convicted him in absentia. In 1988, Panama faced harsh economic sanctions, which caused its GDP to decline 13.5 percent. In addition to this, Washington sponsored the opposition during the 1989 presidential election in Panama and staged a coup attempt. However, Manuel Noriega was able to stay in power in both cases.
Preparations for a direct intervention started in late 1989. On December 16, forces of the US and Panama exchanged fire, killing one American. This incident offered the United States a pretext to claim that US nationals living in the Canal zone faced a security threat in order to justify the upcoming invasion.
⚔️ A 27,000 strong American force launched Operation Just Cause in the early hours of December 20 with the objective of neutralising Panama’s Defence Forces and capturing Manuel Noriega. A vastly superior force, the US troops neutralised Panama’s resistance in a matter of days. Manuel Noriega obtained refuge in the Holy See’s diplomatic mission, but ultimately had to surrender. He was immediately deported to the United States where he was sentenced to 40-years in prison.
☝️ During the intervention the US troops showed little, if any, regard for the safety of Panama’s civilians, shelling and carrying out airstrikes against residential neighbourhoods, leaving residential buildings and civilian infrastructure in ruins. The economic damage suffered by Panama amounted to $1 billion.
These events in late 1989 and early 1990 were one of the most tragic chapters in Panama’s history since independence.
Estimates of Panama’s casualties vary between 500 to 3,000 military personnel and civilians. More than 20,000 people lost their homes, and another 5,000 were arrested by the invading troops and spent several months behind bars.
❌ The international community raised its voice to criticise the US military gamble in Panama with the UN General Assembly and the Permanent Council of the Organisation of American States (OAS) adopting resolutions condemning Washington’s actions as a grave violation of the principle of sovereign equality of states and non-interference in their domestic affairs as set forth in the charters of these organisations. A majority of UN Security Council members expressed a similar view, while three of its permanent members, namely the United States, the UK and France, blocked the draft resolution by exercising their powers.
The US invasion of Panama resulted in a government loyal to the US taking power. The new President, Guillermo Endara, was sworn in at a US military base. In addition, Washington succeeded in abolishing Panama’s regular army in 1994 through a constitutional amendment. However, it failed to revise the Torrijos–Carter Treaties, which enabled Panama to assume full jurisdiction over the canal from the year 2000.
❗ The US troops occupied the territory of an independent country under the cynical pretext of “restoring democracy,” changed its government, captured the national leader and took him to the US to face trial. The US military operation in Panama provides one of many graphic examples of the way Washington treats international norms and principles, as well as its aspiration to impose its standards on Latin American countries.