Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko marks 30 years in power after crushing all dissent; cozying up to Russia
The Hindu
Alexander Lukashenko, Europe's last dictator, maintains absolute control over Belarus through brutality, Russian support, and political maneuvering.
For three decades, European leaders have come and gone by the dozens, but Alexander Lukashenko remains in absolute control of Belarus.
His longevity is due to a mixture of harshly silencing all dissent, reverting to Soviet-style economic controls and methods and cozying up to Russia, even as he sometimes flirted with the West.
Mr. Lukashenko (69) was dubbed “Europe's last dictator” early in his tenure, and he has lived up to that nickname. On July 20, he marks 30 years in power — one of the world's longest-serving and most ruthless leaders.
As head of the country sandwiched between Russia, Ukraine and NATO members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, Mr. Lukashenko was elected to his sixth term in office in 2020, in balloting widely seen at home and abroad as rigged.
Months of mass protests that followed were harshly suppressed in a violent crackdown that sent tens of thousands to jail amid allegations of beatings and torture. Many political opponents remain imprisoned or have fled the nation of 9.5 million.
But the strongman shrugged off Western sanctions and isolation that followed and now he says he will run for a seventh five-year term next year. Mr. Lukashenko owes his political longevity to a mixture of guile, brutality and staunch political and economic support from his main ally, Russia.
Most recently, in 2022, he allowed Moscow to use Belarusian territory to invade Ukraine and later agreed to host some of Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons.