The 77-year-old was taken straight to El Renacer prison to serve time for crimes committed during his rule. Reporters flooded the medium-security facility in Gamboa, but did not catch a glimpse of the former leader’s face. Officials later confirmed that he was there.
Earlier, Noriega arrived at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, where security was tight.
“I think it has historic and symbolic significance,” said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington D.C.-based Inter-American Dialogue, about Noriega’s return.
“It’s a sense of closure for the Panamanian people. He clearly was a dictator for six years and presided over assassinations, disappearances and killing of opposition leaders. And so I think that it’s something that was unfinished business and I think it’s important for Panama to have a sense of closure,” he said.
To Panamainians this is a Big Deal..
