Manuel Solís Palma

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,[1] and worked on the 1968 presidential campaign of Arnulfo Arias Madrid.

Manuel Solís Palma
President of Panama
Acting
In office
26 February 1988  1 September 1989
Preceded byEric Arturo Delvalle
Succeeded byFrancisco Rodríguez
Personal details
Born
Manuel Solís Palma

(1917-12-03)3 December 1917
Los Santos, Panama
Died6 November 2009(2009-11-06) (aged 91)
Panama City, Panama
Political partyDemocratic Revolutionary Party
Spouse(s)Thelma Hassan

In February 1988, Noriega promoted Solís from education minister to president after the firing of president Eric Arturo Delvalle.[1] The US administration of president Ronald Reagan refused to recognize Solís or the diplomats representing him as legitimate.[2] 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.[3] Solís served until 1 September 1989, shortly before the US invasion of Panama which deposed Noriega.[1] He was later described as one of a series of Noriega's puppet rulers, nicknamed the "Kleenex presidents" in Panama due to their "disposability".[4] In 1994, he was pardoned by President Guillermo Endara for any crimes committed during the Noriega years.[5]

In the administration of Martín Torrijos (2004–2009), Solís served again as education minister.[1]

He died on 6 November 2009, aged 91, from pulmonary edema in Panama City.[1][6]

References

  1. "Manuel Solis". The Washington Post.   via HighBeam Research (subscription required) . 7 November 2009. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  2. "The tough is still in charge". The Economist.   via HighBeam Research (subscription required) . 5 March 1988. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  3. Michael Briggs (26 May 1988). "U.S. deal to get Noriega out of Panama scrapped". The Chicago Sun-Times.   via HighBeam Research (subscription required) . Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  4. Robert C. Harding (2006). The History of Panama. Greenwood Press. p. 100. ISBN 031333322X.
  5. "Briefs". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.   via Questia (subscription required) . Reuters. 7 June 1994. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  6. "Falleció Manuel Solís Palma". La Prensa (in Spanish). 6 November 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
Preceded by
Eric Arturo Delvalle
President of Panama
1988–1989
Succeeded by
Francisco Rodríguez
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