Bulent Ecevit vs Ricardo Martinelli

Ecevit ordered the Turkish military invasion of Cyprus following a Greek-backed coup on the island. The invasion led to the partition of Cyprus and the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Bulent Ecevit became Prime Minister of Turkey for the first time, leading a coalition government of the Republican People's Party (CHP). He served as prime minister four times between 1974 and 1999.

The Turkish military coup overthrew Ecevit's government. He was arrested and banned from politics for a decade, along with other party leaders.

Ecevit returned as prime minister after the 1999 elections, leading a coalition government. His term was marked by economic crisis and the capture of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Under Ecevit's government, Turkish authorities captured Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in Kenya. Ocalan's capture led to a ceasefire and reduced violence.

Ricardo Martinelli, a wealthy supermarket magnate, won the 2009 presidential election as the candidate of the Alliance for Change coalition. His campaign focused on anti-corruption and economic development, and he won with a landslide majority.

Martinelli's presidency oversaw rapid economic growth, major infrastructure projects (including the Panama Metro), and a controversial crackdown on crime. His administration was marked by allegations of authoritarianism, corruption, and nepotism, but also significant public works.

After leaving office, Martinelli faced multiple corruption investigations. In 2015, he fled to the United States but was later extradited to Panama in 2018. He was convicted of money laundering in 2019 and sentenced to prison, though he maintained his innocence.