Manuel Noriega was a Panamanian military officer and politician who served as the de facto ruler of Panama from 1983 until 1989. Initially an ally of the United States, he was involved in drug trafficking and money laundering, which led to his growing unpopularity and eventual downfall. In December 1989, the U.S. launched Operation Just Cause, invading Panama to depose Noriega. He was captured and later extradited to the United States, where he faced charges related to drug trafficking. Noriega was sentenced to prison and served time in both the U.S. and France before his death in 2017.