(3 of 3)
The nation's streets were quiet. Washington had hoped that demonstrators would respond to Delvalle's address with "people power" mass protests like those that toppled Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines. Whether out of apathy or fear of confronting Noriega's soldiers, Panamanians mostly stayed at home. "Everything is going pretty much according to plan," said a U.S. observer. "But where are the Panamanian people?" By Friday night all indications were that Noriega had never been in serious danger of losing power.
Yet the Reagan Administration remains convinced that Panama's increasing political and economic isolation will eventually force the general to step down. "Noriega can hang on for a long time," says a U.S. official, "but sooner or later the country is going to start paying very dearly for keeping him in power. It's at that point we'll see a change."
Perhaps. But some experts fear that the U.S. may press too hard on Panama and create sympathy for Noriega at home. "There's no pragmatism in any of this," says a former Panamanian official. "Of course Noriega needs to go. But, really, to have Administration officials tell reporters this and then indict him makes it impossible for him to step aside." The ex-official adds that whatever other qualities Noriega may possess, the Panamanian strongman has no end of stubborn pride.