Maduro's capture draws echoes of Noriega in 1990

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Source: Axios

Updated 12 hours ago


Saturday's capture of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro isn't the first time the U.S. entered a Latin American country by force to seize its leader on drugs charges.

Why it matters: What comes next is likely years of court battles over how Maduro is charged, how he's treated and where he's held.

Flashback: In December 1989, the U.S. invaded Panama, accusing dictator Manuel Noriega of drug trafficking and other crimes.

Noriega surrendered in January 1990 to American forces, who brought him back to the U.S. for trial.

As opposed to the lightning-fast seizure of Maduro, Noriega's capture took weeks, during which time he holed up in the Vatican's embassy. (U.S. troops notoriously blasted the embassy with loud rock music to annoy him into surrender.)

The intrigue: Once in the U.S., Noriega fought a yearslong court battle to be considered a prisoner of war, rather than a common criminal.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2026/01/03/trump-venezuela-maduro-panama-noriega

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Today is the 36th anniversary of Noriega's surrender.

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