Roberto Díaz Herrera
Encyclopedia
Roberto Díaz Herrera was a Panama
nian colonel
under General Manuel Noriega
and was most famous for his public denunciation of the Panamanian dictator
in 1987. After General Noriega
placed him under house arrest
, Col. Díaz received much support from the Panamanian people, with many passing by his house in cars to shake his hand. He was imprisoned shortly thereafter and eventually given political asylum
in Venezuela
. After spending 11 years of exile in various Latin America
n countries, Díaz returned to Panama. In 2004, he was chosen by the newly elected Panamanian president
, Martín Torrijos
, to be the country's ambassador
to Peru
.
, the capital city of the Panamanian province of Veraguas, Roberto Díaz was raised by his parents Anastacio Díaz Jiménez, who was a teacher, and Gregoria Herrera, who worked as a housewife and at a local store selling bread and desserts.
At age 15, he studied in Lima
, Peru
, at the Military School of Leoncio Prado, while also attending classes at the Escuela de Oficiales de la Guardia Civil (Official School of the Civil Guard).
(National Guard of Panama). He rose quickly in rank to colonel and then to General Chief of Staff to the military, which had changed its name to Fuerzas de Defensa de Panamá
(Panama Defense Forces). At that time, he was second in command of Panama's military
under the command of Manuel Noriega
.
In June 1987, in an interview with Panama
's leading opposition newspaper, "La Prensa", Colonel Díaz made a strong declaration against Noriega
. He accused Noriega
of drug trafficking, planning the assassination of Omar Torrijos
with the help of the CIA, ordering the killing of Hugo Spadafora, and orchestrating fraud
in the 1984 presidential election. These allegations led many people in Panama
to protest.
Fifty days after the televised interview, Noriega
placed Colonel Díaz under house arrest. Many people went to Diaz's house to shake his hand in order to show their support for him. The street to his house was frequently lined with the cars of his supporters.
Despite public support for Colonel Díaz, Noriega
ordered his house stormed on July 27, 1987 to place him in prison. After spending six months in jail, Díaz was sent into exile on December 24 after several countries negotiated his release from prison.
, Roberto Díaz spent about six years in Venezuela
, which granted him political asylum. Later, he spent time in Argentina
, and finally Ecuador
, with his wife and his three sons, Daniel Roberto Díaz, Carlos Díaz and Romai Díaz.
President of the United States Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos of Panama on September 7, 1977, signed Torrijos-Carter Treaties. Díaz Herrera was send by Torrijos as a negotiator of the Panama Canal to many countries, such as Cuba
, Libya
, France
, and Yugoslavia
. He also served as a political representative in Israel
, Algeria
, Venezuela
, Mexico
, and Costa Rica
.
Additionally, Roberto Díaz studied at the ULACIT in Panama where he earned a law degree.
He is the Ambassador of Panama and Consul of Callao in Perú.
, a second nephew of Roberto Díaz, was elected president of Panama
and chose Díaz to serve as ambassador to Peru
.
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
under General Manuel Noriega
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
and was most famous for his public denunciation of the Panamanian dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
in 1987. After General Noriega
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
placed him under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
, Col. Díaz received much support from the Panamanian people, with many passing by his house in cars to shake his hand. He was imprisoned shortly thereafter and eventually given political asylum
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. After spending 11 years of exile in various Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n countries, Díaz returned to Panama. In 2004, he was chosen by the newly elected Panamanian president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, Martín Torrijos
Martín Torrijos
Martín Erasto Torrijos Espino is a Panamanian politician and the former President of the Republic of Panama.Torrijos was elected President on May 2, 2004...
, to be the country's ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
.
Early life
Born seventh of nine siblings in SantiagoSantiago de Veraguas
Santiago de Veraguas is the capital of the Panamanian province Veraguas. Santiago is located in southern Veraguas near the provincial border with Herrera. The city has approximately 60,059 people according to the Panama 1990 Census. Santiago is one of the oldest settlements in Panama. The...
, the capital city of the Panamanian province of Veraguas, Roberto Díaz was raised by his parents Anastacio Díaz Jiménez, who was a teacher, and Gregoria Herrera, who worked as a housewife and at a local store selling bread and desserts.
At age 15, he studied in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, at the Military School of Leoncio Prado, while also attending classes at the Escuela de Oficiales de la Guardia Civil (Official School of the Civil Guard).
Military Life
Beginning with a rank of second lieutenant, Roberto Díaz pursued a military career in the only institution of its kind in Panama, Guardia Nacional de PanamáMilitary of Panama
The Panamanian Public Forces are the national defense forces of Panama. Panama is the second country in Latin America to permanently abolish standing armies, leaving it with only small para-military forces. This came as a result of a US invasion that overthrew a military dictatorship which ruled...
(National Guard of Panama). He rose quickly in rank to colonel and then to General Chief of Staff to the military, which had changed its name to Fuerzas de Defensa de Panamá
Military of Panama
The Panamanian Public Forces are the national defense forces of Panama. Panama is the second country in Latin America to permanently abolish standing armies, leaving it with only small para-military forces. This came as a result of a US invasion that overthrew a military dictatorship which ruled...
(Panama Defense Forces). At that time, he was second in command of Panama's military
Military of Panama
The Panamanian Public Forces are the national defense forces of Panama. Panama is the second country in Latin America to permanently abolish standing armies, leaving it with only small para-military forces. This came as a result of a US invasion that overthrew a military dictatorship which ruled...
under the command of Manuel Noriega
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
.
In June 1987, in an interview with Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
's leading opposition newspaper, "La Prensa", Colonel Díaz made a strong declaration against Noriega
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
. He accused Noriega
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
of drug trafficking, planning the assassination of Omar Torrijos
Omar Torrijos
Omar Efraín Torrijos Herrera was the Commander of the Panamanian and National Guard and the de facto leader of Panama from 1968 to 1981...
with the help of the CIA, ordering the killing of Hugo Spadafora, and orchestrating fraud
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
in the 1984 presidential election. These allegations led many people in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
to protest.
Fifty days after the televised interview, Noriega
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
placed Colonel Díaz under house arrest. Many people went to Diaz's house to shake his hand in order to show their support for him. The street to his house was frequently lined with the cars of his supporters.
Despite public support for Colonel Díaz, Noriega
Manuel Noriega
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is a Panamanian politician and soldier. He was military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989.The 1989 invasion of Panama by the United States removed him from power; he was captured, detained as a prisoner of war, and flown to the United States. Noriega was tried on...
ordered his house stormed on July 27, 1987 to place him in prison. After spending six months in jail, Díaz was sent into exile on December 24 after several countries negotiated his release from prison.
Years of exile
At the beginning of his exile from PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Roberto Díaz spent about six years in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, which granted him political asylum. Later, he spent time in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and finally Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, with his wife and his three sons, Daniel Roberto Díaz, Carlos Díaz and Romai Díaz.
President of the United States Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos of Panama on September 7, 1977, signed Torrijos-Carter Treaties. Díaz Herrera was send by Torrijos as a negotiator of the Panama Canal to many countries, such as Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. He also served as a political representative in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
.
Additionally, Roberto Díaz studied at the ULACIT in Panama where he earned a law degree.
He is the Ambassador of Panama and Consul of Callao in Perú.
Return to political influence
In 2004, Martín TorrijosMartín Torrijos
Martín Erasto Torrijos Espino is a Panamanian politician and the former President of the Republic of Panama.Torrijos was elected President on May 2, 2004...
, a second nephew of Roberto Díaz, was elected president of Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and chose Díaz to serve as ambassador to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
.