[ti:Former Panama Dictator Manuel Noriega Dies at 83] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.64]Former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega [00:05.00]died in a Panama City hospital on Monday. [00:10.08]He was 83 years old. [00:14.52]Noriega had been in a coma since March. [00:19.24]He had been recovering from several operations [00:24.32]related to removing cancer from his brain earlier this year. [00:31.80]Noriega ruled Panama from 1983 to 1989. [00:39.60]His time in power is remembered as a time of corruption and violence [00:46.16]in the Central American country. [00:50.52]Before and during his rule, Noriega received millions of dollars in payments [00:58.36]from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). [01:04.12]In exchange, he provided intelligence to the U.S. government. [01:11.00]He reported on events in Panama and the rest of Latin America. [01:17.88]At the time, a number of rebel groups operated in the area. [01:24.52]Noriega informed the CIA about guerilla and terrorist activities. [01:31.45]The United States used his information to seize illegal drugs [01:38.68]at sea and follow the secret movement of money in and out of Panama's banks. [01:48.12]But his relations with the U.S. government worsened [01:53.12]after a political opponent was killed in 1985. [01:59.76]In addition, Noriega appeared to begin working with the drug traffickers. [02:07.76]Members of Panama's military attempted to overthrow him but failed. [02:15.04]The leaders of the attempted rebellion were arrested and executed without being tried. [02:24.64]In 1989, President George H.W. Bush ordered 28,000 U.S. troops [02:33.88]to invade Panama, oust Noriega from power and capture him. [02:41.32]During the operation, 23 American troops were killed. [02:47.76]More than 300 others were wounded. [02:51.52]The U.S. military estimates 200 Panamanian civilians died and 314 soldiers were killed. [03:03.64]After Noriega's capture, he was brought to the United States to face legal action. [03:12.04]He was tried and jailed for 17 years after being found guilty on drug trafficking charges. [03:22.52]In 2007, Noriega was sent to France, where he was jailed on money-laundering charges. [03:32.68]He was returned to Panama in 2011 and imprisoned. [03:40.20]After Noriega was ousted, economic conditions in Panama seemed to improve. [03:48.32]The United States gave the Panamanian government [03:52.84]control of the Panama Canal in 1999. [03:58.84]Panama expanded the waterway. [04:02.64]The number of foreigners visiting the country has increased and property values have risen. [04:10.76]But the country of 3.9 million people still suffers [04:16.60]from the corruption that worsened during Noriega's rule. [04:22.08]And drug traffickers and money launderers still operate there. [04:28.92]Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela said on the social networking website Twitter [04:37.76]that Noriega's death "closes a chapter in our history." [04:44.48]Varela said Noreiga's wife and three daughters [04:49.04]have a right to bury him in peace. [04:52.38]I'm Alice Bryant. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM