▁and ▁three ▁Minister s ▁of ▁State ▁at ▁a ▁pre - arr anged ▁location . ▁By ▁that ▁time , ▁military ▁pat rol s ▁were ▁searching ▁the ▁city ▁for ▁A rias . ▁With ▁the ▁country ' s ▁leaders ▁and ▁an ▁ar sen al ▁of ▁automatic ▁weapons ▁in ▁his ▁vehicle , ▁Mer ry ▁drove ▁through ▁the ▁military ▁block ade ▁to ▁safety ▁in ▁the ▁Pan ama ▁Canal ▁Zone , ▁where ▁the ▁headquarters ▁for ▁the ▁government ▁in ▁ex ile ▁had ▁been ▁prepared . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁Canal ▁Zone ▁authorities ▁would ▁not ▁allow ▁the ▁weapons ▁to ▁remain ▁in ▁its ▁territory , ▁Mer ry ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁bl uff ▁his ▁way ▁back ▁to ▁Pan ama ▁City , ▁through ▁the ▁National ▁Guard ▁border ▁block ade ▁and ▁pat rol s ▁to ▁safety . ▁A rias ▁and ▁N icos ia ▁later ▁left ▁the ▁Canal ▁Zone ▁to ▁Miami , ▁Florida . ▁His ▁ 9 3 - year - old ▁mother , ▁however , ▁was ▁sleep ing ▁up st airs , ▁but ▁was ▁un har med ▁and ▁und ist urbed , ▁having ▁taken ▁her ▁hearing ▁a ids ▁out ▁to ▁sleep . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁U . S . ▁press ured ▁military ▁leader ▁O mar ▁Tor rij os ▁to ▁liberal ize ▁his ▁regime , ▁A rias ▁and ▁N icos ia ▁returned ▁to ▁Pan ama ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁ ▁While ▁they ▁were ▁in ▁ex ile , ▁a ▁small ▁diss ident ▁group ▁in ▁A rias ' s ▁Pan ame ñ ista ▁Party ▁joined ▁the ▁pro - T or rij os ▁coal ition , ▁and