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.[citation needed]

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
SpouseThelma 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 advisor to the education minister.[1]

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

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Manuel Solis". The Washington Post. 7 November 2009. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  2. ^ "The tough is still in charge". The Economist. 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. 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. Reuters. 7 June 1994. Archived from the original on 14 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Falleció Manuel Solís Palma". La Prensa (in Spanish). 6 November 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
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Preceded by President of Panama
1988–1989
Succeeded by