Prison authorities near decision on Noriegas future

Panama prison authorities are in the "final phase" of deciding on how ro handle their most infamous prisoner, former dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega.

After a series of visits to Santo Tomas Hospital, the latest put down to bronchitis, he has been returned to his cell in the  El Renacer prison.  Authorities have to evaluate medical reports before deciding whether to accede  to  Defense lawers requests for  serving his sentence in hospital or under house arrest. Prison Director  Angel Calderon, told AFP:  "this week we are in the analysis phase of the information supplied to us."

For health reasons, Noriega's defense lawyer  has  been claiming since February 8 the choice of a hospital or home detention for his client, for which medical evaluation is needed prior to  the prison system's decision.

 Noriega has been jailed since Dec. 11 in El Renacer near the Panama Canal and the luxury Gamboa resort after being extradited from France, where he was imprisoned for money laundering. Since then the former dictator was admitted to Santo Tomas hospital several times; in February for hypertension and cerebral ischemia and in March for  clots in the leg. 

During his over 20 years in prison he has suffered two strokes, and has a condition called cerebral meningioma, a benign tumor, and depression.

Any move to alleviate his prison conditions is sure to meet strong opposition from relatives and descendants of those killed, or disappeared under the dictator’s reign.