9. Teodoro Obiang Nguema, Equatorial Guinea – Eats His Enemies
Teodoro Obiang Nguema’s rise to power (and subsequent abuse of it) sounds like something out of Game of Thrones. First Nguema’s uncle goes insane, starts ruling Equatorial Guinea with a violent and repressive iron fist, and then gets really paranoid before murdering most of Nguema’s family. Nguema decided to do something and overthrew his uncle in a military coup before installing himself as president and vowing to be a better ruler. And like Game of Thrones, Nguema has shown himself to be just as bad of a ruler.
Nguema’s regime over Equatorial Guinea is one of the world’s harshest, most violent, and most repressed. Despite the country having rich oil and gas reserves, most of Equatorial Guinea lives in poverty whilst Nguema and the rich live in luxury. Nguema’s rule doesn’t seem to be loosening either with every election conveniently going his way with over 90 per cent of the vote.
And because Nguema’s life wasn’t considered bizarre enough already, his detractors have accused him of cannibalism, specifically eating parts of his powerful enemies in an attempt to ‘gain their power’. Yeah, that’s some supervillain-level stuff right there.
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