The United States invaded Panama on December 20, 1989, in a military operation known as Operation Just Cause.

Quick date recap

  • The invasion began in the early hours of December 20, 1989, when U.S. forces launched coordinated attacks across Panama.
  • Major organized resistance was largely subdued within a few days, though operations and stabilization efforts continued into early January 1990.

Why it happened

  • The stated goals included removing Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega, who faced U.S. drug-trafficking indictments, and “protecting U.S. citizens” and “restoring democracy.”
  • The operation also had strategic implications tied to control and security of the Panama Canal at the end of the Cold War era.

What followed

  • Noriega surrendered in early January 1990 and was flown to the United States to stand trial.
  • Panama’s president-elect Guillermo Endara was sworn in around the start of the invasion, marking a rapid political transition backed by U.S. troops.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.