Rubén Darío Paredes was a Panamanian army officer and the military ruler of Panama from 1982 to 1983.

Colonel Paredes came to power following the coup against Colonel Florencio Flores Aguilar. Paredes' tenure was from March 1982 to August 1983. Although his successor, General Manuel Noriega, disputes it in his memoirs (America's Prisoner, ISBN 0517328097), most sources agree that Paredes was formally promoted to the rank of general. Paredes retired from the Panamanian National Guard after making a deal with Noriega that would make him president. However, after his resignation, Noriega reneged on the deal, ending Paredes' political career.

Paredes is still retired and lives in Panama.