Rubén Darío Paredes facts for kids

Rubén Darío Paredes del Río (born 11 August 1933) is a retired army officer from Panama. He served as the military leader of Panama from 1982 to 1983.

Who is Rubén Darío Paredes?

Rubén Darío Paredes was born in Panama City on August 11, 1933. He became an important figure in the Panamanian military. He received his education at a military academy in Nicaragua.

Becoming Panama's Military Leader

Colonel Paredes took on a leadership role in the Panamanian National Guard. This happened after the previous leader, Colonel Florencio Flores, stepped down. The National Guard was going through a period of change after the death of Omar Torrijos.

Paredes served as the commander of the National Guard from March 1982 to August 1983. On March 3, he was promoted to the rank of general.

Leaving His Role

In August 1983, General Paredes decided to resign from his position. This decision came after a disagreement about how the government viewed the United States' involvement in Nicaragua.

After his resignation, he retired from the Panamanian National Guard. He had an agreement with Manuel Noriega that he would become president. However, after Paredes resigned, Noriega did not keep his promise and had him arrested.

Later Life and Family

Rubén Darío Paredes later ran for president in the 1984 election, but he was not successful. Today, he is retired and lives in Panama City, Panama.

His uncle, Rigoberto Paredes, was also involved in politics. Rigoberto was a member of the National Assembly in the 1980s. He also hosted a talk radio show in Panama City. Rigoberto Paredes passed away in 2007.

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