Foes Unable to Overthrow Me--Noriega

Gen. Manuel A. Noriega remained defiant today in the face of a nationwide general strike aimed at his ouster, saying the United States and his internal opponents “don’t have the capacity” to overthrow him.

As the strike moved into its fourth day with no sign of letup, Noriega once again lashed out at the opposition and the United States in a speech to a group of about 500 supporters.

The United States, Noriega said, wants to create a Panamanian political system “in its image and reflecting its plans to subject” Central America.

He accused the Reagan Administration of misjudging the “patriotic feelings of Panamanians” because they “are not made of chocolate, nor of sugar.”

Washington has been trying to pressure Noriega into leaving the country.

The general also criticized his opponents for rejecting his offer to resign within a year in exchange for a national dialogue, saying they have neither the “capacity to represent” nor to defeat “the nationalistic forces.”

Emergency Meeting

An organization of 25 Latin American nations will hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss the crisis in Panama, the group said Wednesday. The meeting of the Latin American Economic System in Caracas, Venezuela, was requested by Panama.

A prominent opposition leader--Ricardo Arias Calderon--was expected to return to Panama to join in the fight to oust Noriega, head of the 15,000-strong Panama Defense Forces and the power behind the civilian government.

Almost all businesses were shut down across the country again today. Lacking food and money, thousands of people lined up at soup kitchens set up by churches throughout the country.

Panama is out of cash because Washington cut off the supply of U.S. dollars, the Panamanian national currency, in a bid to drive Noriega into exile. The general was indicted in the United States last month on federal cocaine trafficking charges.