Ambassador Recalls
Rebirth of Democracy in Panama after U.S.
Invasion
PANAMA - Panama's ambassador to the United
States, Jaime Aleman, was serving as
minister of government and justice under
former President Eric Arturo Delvalle in
1988 when his boss attempted to dismiss
Manuel Noriega as the country's military
chief.
"One night my poor wife had to go into exile
with our 2-year-old son and 6-month old
daughter," Aleman recalled Wednesday at the
University of the Virginia. He spoke as part
of U.Va.'s Ambassador's Speaker's Forum.
"My brother Jose Miguel, who subsequently
became foreign minister, was the only other
person that night at the president's house
who was willing to sign the decree," Aleman
said. "But it was the beginning of the end."
Speaking to an audience of students,
faculty, staff and community members, Aleman
characterized the 1988 decree as "almost
like a death sentence. Nobody knew what the
consequences would be."
Following the decree, Noriega moved quickly
to oust Delvalle, becoming Panama's de facto
leader. The United States swiftly condemned
the ouster, and a year later invaded the
country to arrest Noriega and bring him to
trial on drug trafficking, money laundering
and racketeering charges. He was convicted
and remains in U.S. custody
A steady consolidation of democracy followed
the U.S. 1989 invasion of Panama, which
Aleman said was welcomed by Panamanians who
had long tired of the military strongman.
"We received them with flowers. It was a new
beginning for Panama," he recalled. "We
started to treasure and value democracy much
more than we did before, where we tended to
take it for granted."
Aleman told the American citizens in the
audience, "You are fortunate that you can
take democracy for granted, that you have
such strong institutions and this is
something that you really don't need to
worry about."
The Office of the Vice Provost for
International Programs sponsors the
speaker's forum, which has thus far welcomed
Pakistani, Indian and Danish ambassadors to
Grounds. Former Israeli Ambassador Daniel
Kurtzer is coming to U.Va. March 24.
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