An
artist's rendering of Panama's former dictator, Manuel Noriega, as
he
listens to a judge in Paris lay out the charges against him, Apr. 27.
France
rejected his plea to be treated as a prisoner of war.
Critica, Panama
U.S. was Right Not
to Return Noriega to Panama
"Those
who were victims of abuse fear that since this is Panama, Noriega would be released
within months of beginning his sentence. That's the great problem with our
institutions: Laws can be instantly reformed to serve the interests of certain people."
Manuel Antonio Noriega, Panama's former dictator and
strongman, now resides in the harsh French prison of La Santé. The United
States preferred to extradite him to France rather than send him to Panama, where
he has over 60 years of outstanding convictions on charges of murder and
illegal enrichment.
The television footage showed a washed-up Noriega who has
difficulty walking. After 20 years of confinement in Miami, he now awaits
another trial for money laundering in Paris, where he was awarded the Légion d'Honneur
of the French Foreign Legion.
No doubt, the former CIA collaborator remains a hot potato
because of the secrets he harbors. And since France doesn't recognize the
prisoner of war status afforded him by the United States, the "Creole
Embankment" will treat him somewhat differently from the rest of the
inmates at La Santé.
Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US
At the same time, there's no denying that the former head of
the Defense Forces remains a point of dispute among Panamanians. Some people
prefer that he stay in France, while others argue that he must return to Panama
to spend the rest of his days imprisoned in his homeland.
Those who were victims of
abuse fear that since this is Panama, Noriega would be released within months of
beginning his sentence. That's the great problem with our institutions: Laws can be instantly reformed to serve the interests of certain people. A country with strong
institutions would demand that a man accused of so many crimes be sent back to
face justice in Panama.
Undoubtedly, Panama must
strengthen its system of justice for rich, poor, White, Black and anyone else, regardless
of status, so that they pay for the crimes they commit. When this is achieved, we'll
have strong institutions and there will be no fear of legal loopholes that
favor particular individuals.
