Dictators · Head-to-head
Manuel Noriega vs Gnassingbe Eyadema
Yes — based on their recorded years, Manuel Noriega (1934–2017) and Gnassingbe Eyadema (1935–2005) were alive at the same time for at least part of their lives.
Manuel Noriega
A military officer who ruled Panama as a de facto dictator through puppet presidents, later removed from power by a US invasion in 1989.
Key achievements
- Rose through Panama's military to become its de facto ruler from 1983 to 1989
- Never formally served as president, instead ruling through a series of puppet civilian presidents
- Was removed from power by the United States invasion of Panama in December 1989
- Was subsequently convicted on drug trafficking and other charges in the United States
Fast fact
Noriega had longstanding ties to American intelligence agencies before the United States invaded Panama in 1989 specifically to remove him from power.
Full profile of Manuel Noriega →Gnassingbe Eyadema
A military officer who took part in the coup that killed Togo's first president before later seizing power himself and ruling for nearly four decades.
Key achievements
- Took part as a young military officer in the 1963 coup that overthrew and killed Togo's first president
- Seized power in a further coup in 1967, becoming president of Togo
- Ruled Togo continuously for nearly 38 years, one of the longest tenures of any African head of state
- Was immediately succeeded by his son Faure Gnassingbe upon his death in 2005
Fast fact
Eyadema was involved in the 1963 coup that killed Togo's first president, Sylvanus Olympio, before he himself seized power in a separate coup in 1967 and ruled until his death in 2005.
Full profile of Gnassingbe Eyadema →Who lived first, Manuel Noriega or Gnassingbe Eyadema?
Manuel Noriega (1934–2017) lived first, before Gnassingbe Eyadema (1935–2005), based on their recorded years.
Were Manuel Noriega and Gnassingbe Eyadema contemporaries?
Yes — based on their recorded years, Manuel Noriega (1934–2017) and Gnassingbe Eyadema (1935–2005) were alive at the same time for at least part of their lives.
What do Manuel Noriega and Gnassingbe Eyadema have in common?
Both Manuel Noriega and Gnassingbe Eyadema are grouped among our Dictators figures and lived during the Modern Era.