From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishNoriega, ManuelManuel NoriegaNor‧i‧e‧ga, Man‧uel /ˌnɒriˈeɪɡə $ ˌnɔː-, mænˈwel/ (1934–) a Panamanian soldier and politician, who was ruler of Panama from 1982 to 1989, when US soldiers entered Panama to end his government. He was taken to the US, and in 1992 he was found guilty of drug dealing and put in prison.