Now that the United States has taken decisive action to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power, the inevitable comparisons are already flying. That is especially the case when it comes to the use of military power, the application of which must be tied to clear, articulated and achievable aims. Maduro is now facing trial in New York, just as Noriega did in Florida, where the former leader of Panama was convicted of crimes including drug trafficking and money laundering. “Out of our many military ventures since Korea,” he told me, “Panama must be considered one of our most successful. His 2020 indictment in New York lists counts of narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and corruption.

Source: Egypt Independent January 04, 2026 13:40 UTC