Panama's former dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega, who died in Panama City late Monday, was physically diminished after decades of imprisonment for crimes committed during his 1983-1989 rule.

Noriega, 83, passed away in the Panama City public Santo Tomas hospital where he had been recovering from early March surgery to remove a brain tumour, and a subsequent operation to clean up cerebral bleeding.

The announcement of his death was made by government communications secretary Manuel Dominguez. “Mr Noriega died tonight (late Monday),” Dominguez told AFP.

Noriega had been serving prison time for murder and forced disappearances during his dictatorship, and was being held in a prison cell overlooking the Panama Canal.

The ex-strongman had been granted temporary release on January 28 to undergo the medical procedure. Following years of ill-health that included respiratory problems, prostate cancer and depression, Noriega's family pleaded with authorities to him to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest.

But the government rejected their appeals and said Noriega would return to prison once he recovered from the brain tumour surgery.

Noriega was toppled in a December 1989 US military invasion.

After surrendering to US troops in January 1990, he was flown to the United States where he was convicted on drug trafficking and money laundering charges, and sentenced to prison.

In 2010 Noriega was sent to France, where he was convicted on money laundering charges.

The following year Noriega was extradited to Panama, where he was locked up for the 1985 murder of a political opponent, the 1989 murder of a military officer who attempted a coup against him, and for the massacre of soldiers rebelling against him.

Other cases were pending against him for the disappearance of people before he became dictator, back when he headed Panama's National Guard.

In 2015, Noriega had apologised "to anybody who felt offended, affected, prejudiced or humiliated by my actions."

Significant dates in Noriega's life

• Feb 11, 1934: Born in Panama City. Grows up in low-income El Chorrillo neighbourhood with adoptive parents.

• 1957: Studies at military academy in Peru. Upon return, he joins Panama's military, the National Guard, becoming chief of western province of Chiriqui.

• December 1969: Allows Gen. Omar Torrijos to land in Chiriqui from Mexico after military uprising against commander of National Guard.

• 1970: Promoted to lieutenant colonel and takes over feared G-2, the military intelligence bureau. For a decade he collaborates closely with CIA.

• July 31, 1981: Torrijos dies in plane accident, and members of secret service temporarily take over National Guard.

• Aug 12, 1983: Noriega assumes command of National Guard, which he will convert to Panama's Defense Forces.

• May 17, 1984: Electoral court declares Noriega-backed Nicholas Ardito Barletta as winner of presidential election as opposition alleges fraud.

• Sept 27, 1985: Barletta forced to resign and replaced by Eric Delvalle.

• June 1987: Mass protests erupt after a retired colonel reveals that members of the secret service and electoral court judges were behind fraud in the 1984 election.

• February 1988: Noriega charged in Miami and Tampa with ties to drug trafficking and money laundering.

• Feb 25, 1988: Delvalle tries to remove Noriega as Defense Forces commander, but legislature removes Delvalle instead.

• March 1988: Coup attempt against Noriega fails.

• May 1989: Elections held and opposition accuses Noriega of interfering in vote, including stealing and destroying ballot boxes.

• Aug 31, 1989: With Noriega's backing, Francisco Rodriguez named provisional president after election annulled.

• Oct 3, 1989: Troops loyal to Noriega put down revolt by other soldiers. Rebels later shot.

• Dec 15, 1989: Noriega named head of government by National Assembly, which gives him special powers and declares Panama in state of war.

• Dec 20, 1989: As U.S. troops invade to depose him, Noriega goes into hiding, finally surrendering on Jan 3 after a standoff at Vatican's diplomatic mission. He's taken to Florida to face drug charges.

• 1992: After conviction, is sentenced to 40 years in prison for drug trafficking, though sentence later reduced.

• April 27, 2010: Extradited by U.S. to France, where he is convicted of laundering money in France during 1980s and sentenced to seven years in prison.

• Dec 11, 2011: Sent back to Panama and immediately imprisoned.

• Jan 29, 2017: Allowed to switch to house arrest to prepare for surgery to remove a benign brain tumour.

• March 7, 2017: Undergoes surgery for tumor, then suffers bleeding in brain that requires second operation hours later, leaving him in critical condition.

• May 29, 2017: Noriega dies at a hospital in Panama City of unspecified causes