United States invasion of Panama
Rodríguez became provisional President of Panama on 1 September 1989 following resignation of Manuel Solís Palma. He stood down on 20 December 1989 following the United States invasion of Panama and the arrest of de facto leader Manuel Antonio Noriega. He was one of a series of Noriega's puppet rulers, nicknamed the "Kleenex presidents" in Panama due to their "disposability".