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A 'strongman' is a political leader who rules by force and runs an authoritarian regime. The term is often used interchangeably with "dictator."
A strongman is not necessarily always a formal Head of State, however. Sometimes the term is used to describe a military or political figure who exercises far more influence over the government than is constitutionally allowed. General Manuel Noriega, for example, was often dubbed the "Strongman of Panama" for the enormous amount of political power he exercised over Panama, despite the fact that he was not the formal president of the state. The same can be said for General Rahimuddin Khan, often termed as the "Strongman of Balochistan", whose post as Martial law administrator was junior to that of then head of state, Zia-ul-Haq, but still phenomenally powerful.

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Figures Referenced to as Strongman

Figures Referenced to as Strongman

★ Saddam Hussein [1]

★ Fidel Castro [2] [3] [4]

★ Augusto Pinochet [5]

★ Göran Johansson

★ Lee Kuan Yew

★ Dick Cheney