A month later came the appointment as vice-minister of domestic affairs. "In 1983 Paredes was succeded in power by General Manuel Noriega. The following year Barletta was appointed president, and in the subsequent cabinet reshuffle Lee was made manager of the Colon Free Zone. Later, when Vice-President Delvalle in turn became president, Lee was appointed minister for labor and welfare.
一九八三年巴雷德將軍退休、諾瑞加上台，次年阿狄鐸．巴雷達總統就任，內閣改組，李智明轉任科隆自由區經理一職；緊接著八五年巴雷達總統辭職，由德華耶副總統繼任，李智明又轉任勞工暨福利部部長。