Comparison: US Capture of Maduro vs. Noriega in Panama : As I scrolled through the news, one thing kept coming up: this feels a lot like 1989, when U.S. forces invaded Panama to capture dictator Manuel Noriega. The parallels are eerie—both leaders indicted on U.S. drug charges, both extracted in military ops, both flown stateside for trial.
Noriega hid in the Vatican embassy (with U.S. troops blasting rock music to flush him out!) before surrendering exactly 36 years ago from today. He was convicted and imprisoned. But differences stand out: Panama involved a full invasion; Venezuela was a targeted raid. Noriega’s capture led to quicker stabilization, while Venezuela’s future looks messier with loyalists still in power. Trump’s team seems inspired by the “success” of Panama, but experts warn Venezuela’s scale and alliances (Russia, China) make it riskier. Will history repeat, or rhyme differently? It’s fascinating (and a bit scary) how these echo each other. Thoughts on the comparisons?