Panama's Noriega Capture (1989)
US forces invaded Panama and captured General Manuel Noriega, bringing him to Miami to face drug trafficking charges. Noriega was a former US intelligence asset who had become a liability. The operation, called Just Cause, involved 27,000 troops.
Noriega was convicted and imprisoned. Panama transitioned to civilian government.
The intervention established precedent for US seizure of foreign leaders on criminal charges, though it remained controversial in Latin America. Panama developed into a stable democracy.
The Maduro capture explicitly echoes Noriega. Both were former heads of state captured by US forces to face drug charges. The key difference: Panama had no Chavista movement. Venezuela's security services and political structures remain largely intact under Rodríguez, making the transition far more uncertain.