Gotabaya Rajapaksa vs Matsudaira Nobutsuna

As Defense Secretary under President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa oversaw the military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The war ended in 2009 with the defeat of the LTTE, but was marked by allegations of civilian casualties and human rights abuses.

Rajapaksa won the presidential election with a landslide victory, securing 52.25% of the vote. His campaign focused on national security and economic development, appealing to Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism.

Under Rajapaksa's presidency, Sri Lanka faced its worst economic crisis since independence, with shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. The government defaulted on its foreign debt for the first time in history, leading to widespread protests.

Following massive protests and the occupation of the presidential palace, Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives and then Singapore. He resigned as president via email, ending his presidency in disgrace.

Nobutsuna was appointed to the powerful position of roju under Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. This role made him one of the highest-ranking officials in the Tokugawa shogunate, responsible for major policy decisions and military command.

As a senior councilor, Matsudaira Nobutsuna commanded shogunate forces in the siege of Hara Castle, crushing the Christian-led peasant uprising. The rebellion's suppression led to the finalization of Japan's national seclusion policy and the persecution of Christians.

During the severe Kan'ei famine, Nobutsuna implemented relief measures including rice distribution and tax reductions in domains under his control. His actions mitigated some suffering but the famine still caused widespread death across Japan.