Ex dictator Noriega a hot potato in Panama and US

Former Panama dictator Manuel Noriega who will soon be heading France to serve a10 year sentence, or face a new trial has been described as a “hot potato” in Panama.

Mitchell Doens, Secretary General of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) said that nothing appears to be able to stop Noriega’s extradition to France following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to block it.
Doens said the extradition of Noriega to France is part of a transaction which has been made between the authorities of the United States and Panama because the Panamanian general is a "hot potato" for these two countries.
"General Noriega will definitely be sent to France, and he will be judged there," the party official said.
Other political commentators in Panama have similar “hot potato” views. Noriega was notorious for keeping files on everyone and everything during his years in power, when he was involved with America’s CIA.
After the 1989 invasion, the US authorities took away truck loads of documents that many believed would prove embarrassing. Local skeptics believe that Noriega may have a secondary treasure of damming information hidden away.
Others think he should be brought home to face murder charges.
Aurelio Barría, a founder of the Civilista Crusade that played a crucial role in the overthrow of Noriega, told La Prensa the former dictator should face criminal charges in France.
"I think that Noriega, as anyone who has violated the law, must confront the serious accusations made against him," said Barrios.
But Barría also said that Noriega should face the judicial system in Panama for crimes he committed while in power, including accusations of murder. He was previously sentenced in absentia to two terms,one of 15 yeears, and one of 10.
Noriega is still in prison in Miami, where he finished serving a sentence for helping the Colombian Medellín drug cartel.
He had argued that it should be sent back to his country of origin, instead of being extradited to Europe as he was in jail as a “prisoner of war.”.
In France, Noriega was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison in 1999 for laundering millions of dollars.