Omar Torrijos was a famous military ruler and dictator of the Republic of Panama, for almost thirteen years. Initially, he served in the army, known as the 'Guardia Nacional', where he rose up the ranks with exemplary dedication and hard work. After a military coup that overthrew the President Arnulfo Arias, this military leader took over the reins, and began ruling the nation almost single-handedly. Torrijos who wielded absolute power by electing his comrades like José María Pinilla Fábrega and Demetrio Lakas as the Presidents, who were merely puppet-heads. As the ruler of the nation, he was the first one to sign a treaty with U.S. President Jimmy Carter, demanding the return of control of the Canal Zone near Panama. He was also particularly empathetic towards the poor farmers, and introduced several agricultural and educational reforms for the Spanish-speaking ethnic groups. He made schools, and opened up a world of opportunities for the less fortunate. This made him quite a popular leader, amongst the lower social classes, despite his military regime, where he drafted a new restrictive constitution, and controlled the legislature as well as the press. The following biography provides an insight to the life and works of this military ruler