Panamas civilistas to protest any negotiated deal for Noriega silence
Panama’s Civil Crusade will take to the streets again to repudiate former dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega who will be heading home during the next week,
They have chosen for their protest, Calle 50, a site where they were assaulted beaten and arrested by the former dictatorship’s “Dignity Battalion”.
They want the one time dictator to know: “We are here, not with hatred, but to demand that he serves his sentences in a prison".
Aurelio Barria a business leader among the motley civilian group that at the end of the 80’s led opposition to the dictatorship of Noriega, said the demonstration will be held on Calle 50, in front of the former Danté store. Noriega will be repudiated to ensure that the government will not accept any political compromise that allows home detention reports La Prensa.
Barria, questioned the reliability of Panamanian justice, and said "We cannot allow anyone in government to make an arrangement or negotiation in exchange for information Noriega may have against others in exchange for favors"
According to Barria, The Chamber of Commerce, leaders of business associations, civil society, health professionals and educators, were activists of the Crusade. "On Monday, December 5 I will call on the media of Panama to invite participation," he said.
He said that the organization of the event "has nothing to do with the government" and added that he is concerned about former followers of former general "because in 22 years very few have spoken up for him."
"Noriega does not come as a war hero. He has been arrested to face justice for crimes like drug trafficking and money laundering and as Christians we ask that justice be done,"
Asked about the ex-general saying he "comes to defend his innocence," Barria said that this means that Noriega "expresses no remorse for what he did, … for the serious rights violations committed by his regime.”
Noriega faces various outstanding penalties totaling more than 60 years in prison for which the president of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli has said he "will go directly to jail He also faces trial on multiple murder charges".
However, Martinelli has said, that the courts will to decide if he is sent home because of his advanced age (77 years) and poor health. .
But, says La Prensa civilists reject this possibility provided for in the current Penal Code of Panama, because the law states that the benefit of house arrest does not include those convicted of crimes against humanity.
After the 1989 U.S. invasion that ousted him, Noriega surrendered spent 20 years of a sentence of 40 in a U.S. prison. In France He served nearly three years of a 7-year money laundering conviction, According to Martinelli, the former general will return to Panama between December 6 and 13
On Saturday, December 3 he traveled under escort to Paris to prepare for medical repatriation, officials said.
