Manuel Solís Palma Explained

Manuel Solís Palma
Order:President of Panama
Term Start:26 February 1988
Term End:1 September 1989
Predecessor:Eric Arturo Delvalle
Successor:Francisco Rodríguez
Birth Name:Manuel Solís Palma
Birth Date:1917 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Los Santos, Panama
Death Place:Panama City, Panama
Spouse:Thelma Hassan
Party:Democratic Revolutionary Party

Manuel Solís Palma (3 December 1917 in Los Santos Province – 6 November 2009) was the acting president of Panama from 26 February 1988 to 1 September 1989, under the military rule of Manuel Noriega. He served as education minister in several administrations, and worked on the 1968 presidential campaign of Arnulfo Arias Madrid.

In February 1988, Noriega promoted Solís from education minister to president after the firing of president Eric Arturo Delvalle. The US administration of president Ronald Reagan refused to recognize Solís or the diplomats representing him as legitimate.[1] In May, the administration offered a deal in which Noriega would leave office in exchange for the US dropping drug charges against him; however, the Panamanian military rejected the terms, which gave no guarantee that Solís would retain power.[2] Solís served until 1 September 1989, shortly before the US invasion of Panama which deposed Noriega. He was later described as one of a series of Noriega's puppet rulers, nicknamed the "Kleenex presidents" in Panama due to their "disposability".[3] In 1994, he was pardoned by President Guillermo Endara for any crimes committed during the Noriega years.[4]

In the administration of Martín Torrijos (2004–2009), Solís served again as advisor to the education minister.

He died on 6 November 2009, aged 91, from pulmonary edema in Panama City.[5] [6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: The tough is still in charge . https://web.archive.org/web/20160309214633/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-6517377.html . dead . 9 March 2016 . 5 March 1988 . The Economist . 20 September 2012.
  2. Web site: U.S. deal to get Noriega out of Panama scrapped . https://web.archive.org/web/20160325071037/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3887034.html . dead . 25 March 2016 . Michael Briggs . 26 May 1988 . The Chicago Sun-Times . 20 September 2012.
  3. Book: The History of Panama . registration . Robert C. Harding . 2006 . Greenwood Press . 031333322X . 100 .
  4. News: Briefs . Reuters . 7 June 1994 . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . 14 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180814103336/https://www.questia.com/read/1P2-32876777/briefs . dead .
  5. News: Manuel Solis . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307154229/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-21041557.html . dead . 7 March 2016 . 7 November 2009 . The Washington Post . 18 September 2012.
  6. News: Falleció Manuel Solís Palma . 6 November 2009 . La Prensa . 2 September 2019 . es.