Traoré, Moussa, 1936-2020

Moussa Traoré (25 September 1936 – 15 September 2020) was a Malian military officer, politician, and dictator who served as the second President of Mali from 1968 to 1991. As a lieutenant, he led the military ousting of President Modibo Keïta in 1968. Thereafter he served as head of state until March 1991, when he was overthrown by popular protests and a military coup. During his tenure, political activity was banned, marking a shift to authoritarian control. His right-hand man Tiécoro Bagayoko oversaw a regime of surveillance with the help of informants. He dismantled the socialist economic policies of his predecessor, Modibo Keita. He was twice condemned to death in the 1990s, but eventually pardoned on both occasions and freed in 2002. He retired from public life and died in 2020.