30 years ago, as Panamanians prepared for Christmas, the US launched a massive and unexpected invasion of Panama ironically dubbed “Operation Just Cause.”

Controversial, in both countries, even to this day, it has been argued that the US could have acheived its same objectives, without loss of life on both sides, without property damage, without flouting international law, and at far, far less cost, if it had just loaded a plane with bales of $20 bills, flown low over the country and dumped the money out of the plane.

No one knows for sure how many Panamanians were killed in the Invasion.  It depends on who you ask, and who ou want to believe.  According to the US military 202 civilians were killed.  The United Nations puts the number of civilians killed at 500,  The Central American Human Rights Commissionputs the number at 2,000 – 3,000 killed.

THE PANAMA DECEPTION is an award-wining documentary that explores the Invasion and its aftermath.