(c)1994 Christian Broadcasting Network

This clip featured then-700 Club co-host Ben Kinchlow in the first of a two-part interview (unfortunately, I don't have the 2nd part) with former Panamanian leader, General Manuel Noriega (speaking through an interpreter).

Noriega had been a career soldier who had rapidly risen to become Panama military dictator by 1983; while having worked alongside the CIA dating back to the 1950s (though no official contract was signed between the two until 1967) owing to Noriega's opposition to Communism. By the late 1980s; relations between Noriega and the U.S. rapidly deteriorated due to Noriega's ties to the Medllin cartel (which also included Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar) and various acts of corruption via laundering money from the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (also primary CIA banker until being forced to shut down in 1991) -- a connection that got plenty of attention in the 1988 Presidential campaign (referenced in a campaign ad for then-Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis in painting then-Vice President {and former CIA director} George H.W. Bush as a failure in the War on Drugs. This also was brought up in the Democratic Convention during Sen. Ted Kennedy's "Where was George?" speech).

However, things reached a breaking point in 1989; when Carlos Dupre; a Noriega-backed candidate, was facing a challenge for the presidency of Panama from a ticket led by Guillermo Endera and vice-presidential candidates Ricardo Arias Sanchez and Guillermo "Billy" Ford. Once Endara won decisively, Noriega voided the results, claiming foreign (read American) interference tainted the result; while other observers (most notably, former President Jimmy Carter) accused Noriega of stealing the election. This was followed by Endara and Ford suffering a brutal beating at the hands of Noriega's troops (video footage of a bloodied Ford proved one of the key turning points; as the U.S. recognized Endara as the rightful Panamanian leader when Noriega' term as president expired instead of another Noriega-backed associated, Francisco Rodriguez).

This subsequently led to sanctions and ultimately, a December 1989 invasion announced by (by this time) President George H.W. Bush; ultimately (after 23 U.S. troops and 3 civilians were killed in addition to 150 Panamanian soldiers and 500 civilians were killed) led to Noriega surrendering on January 3, 1990. Noriega was eventually convicted on 8 counts of drug trafficking, racketeering and money laundering in 1992; resulting in a 40 year prison sentence (later cut to 30 years). Noriega, meanwhile, professed faith in Christ in May 1990 (while awaiting trial; this was apparently covered in the 2nd part that apparently was not recorded by my parents). The 30 year sentence was subsequently cut to 17 years, and his sentence on the U.S. charges ended in 2007. However, Gen. Noriega was extradited to France on money laundering charges there, being convicted in 2010; receiving a seven-year sentence, while also being extradited from France to Panama the next year to face human rights charges there, where to my knowledge he is still in prison there.

After the interview; Kinchlow and Pat Robertson discuss Noriega's comments in light of past CIA abuses (Noriega had spent much of the interview charging the U.S. government with stabbing him in the back); then a fact sheet was offered (apparently, CBN offered these for more details on key news stories during the 1990s before the Internet was more widespread).

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