About General Omar Torrijos Herrera:
Omar EfraÃn Torrijos Herrera (February 13, 1929–July 31, 1981) was the Commander of the Panamanian National Guard and the de facto leader of Panama from 1968 to 1981. Torrijos was never officially the president of Panama, but instead held titles including "Maximum Leader of the Panamanian Revolution" and "Supreme Chief of Government." Although he was considered a leftist dictator, he simultaneously had the support of the United States as he opposed communism. His politics were based instead on progressivism.
Torrijos is best known for negotiating the Torrijos–Carter Treaties, signed on September 7, 1977. These treaties passed United States sovereignty over the canal zone to Panama (including Amador Causeway), with a gradual increase in their control over it, leading to complete control in Dec 31, 1999. The United States however, retained the permanent right to protect what they see as the neutrality of the canal. The ratification ceremony at Fort Clayton was somewhat of an embarrassment for Torrijos.
General Torrijos died at the age of 52 when his aircraft, a DeHavilland Twin Otter (DHC-6), crashed during its flight, in July 31, 1981. The aircraft disappeared from radar during severe weather, but due to the limited nature of Panama's radar coverage at the time, the plane was not reported missing for nearly a day. The crash site was located several days later, and the body of General Torrijos was recovered by a Special Forces team in the first few days of August. Following a large state funeral, Torrijos was briefly buried in Amador cemetery in Casco Viejo (the Old City of Panama), before being moved to a mausoleum in the former Canal Zone near Panama City.