This article is a bunch of crap: Years later, Panamanian President Ernesto Pérez Balladares confessed to me softly what was already evident: Without the U.S. invasion, Panamanians couldn't have rid themselves of the den of thieves and murderers that the army had become. (I love the words “confessed to me softly.”) He was part of that “den of thieves.” He was a Noriega boot licker. After the present president, Mireya Moscoso, he was one of the worst thieves Panama has had as president. His U.S. visa was pulled two months after Bush became president because he was into sneaking undocumented Chinese into the United States (not to mention a bunch of other local crimes). Therefore, if the author of this article is using Pérez Balladares as source, forget the validity of this entire article.
He said the army, of which Pérez Balladares was not a member. Remember crimes committed during those days had such a heavy weight on their authors' conscience that even Roberto Díaz Herrera could not stop fessing up...
Bottom line, most people in countries "invaded" by the US are grateful when a dictator is removed, victory is swift and casualties are low - except for pampered, mostly white, upper-middle class peaceniks from US suburbs who like to play "revolution".
No slam felt :-)
On the Coco Taxi, try this Google search