This is an inspirational list of 7 world leaders who rose to the highest realms of power in their various countries after having a spell behind bars.
These modern-day Josephs, driven by love for their country or ambitions, risked their lives to secure a better future for their people. While it easily can be argued that they are all not saints, the sacrifice made by these people has to be respected.
Here are seven presidents who rose from prisoners to becoming the leaders of their nations.
1. Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi [India]
In 1980, Indira Gandhi once again became Prime Minister but was assassinated by her bodyguards in 1984 for ordering the storming of the Harmandir Sahib as a countermeasure to the Punjab insurgency.
2. Fidel Castro [Cuba]
Manuel Urrutia was then installed as president while José Miró Cardona became prime minister. But after just a month Miro resigned, and Castro was sworn in as prime minister at the age of 32.
3. Dilma Vana [Brazil]
Dilma Rousseff became Brazil’s first female president in 2010 and was re-elected again in 2014, but was suspended by the senate for six months on 12 May 2016, before she was finally impeached on 31 August 2016.
4. Kim Dae Jung [South Korea]
Finally, after trying four times, Kim Dae-Jung defeated Lee Hoi-Chang and was sworn in as the eighth President of South Korea on 25 February 1998.
5. Nelson Mandela [South Africa]
In 1994 Mandela became the first black President of South Africa after winning a multiracial general election. A true statesman, he only served one term before handing over the reins to Thabo Mbeki.
6. Patrice Lumumba [Congo]
Lumumba’s believed to have been shot multiple times, before his body was dissolved in acid, by the Belgian military in a bid to cover a full-scale investigation. Belgium later apologised in 2002 for its role in his death.
7. Olusegun Obasanjo [Nigeria]
After his release, Olusegun Obasanjo contested for and won the presidential elections held in 1999, under the Peoples Democratic Party and also won a second term in 2003.
