Examples of dictators who came to power through coups include General Augusto Pinochet in Chile, General Suharto in Indonesia, and General Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan. Another common method by which dictators come to power is through manipulated elections. In many cases, dictators will use their control of the political system to rig elections in their favor, ensuring that they remain in power for as long as possible. This can involve everything from voter intimidation and suppression to outright fraud. Once in power, dictators will often use their control of the electoral system to perpetuate their rule, preventing any meaningful challenges to their authority. Dictators can also come to power through the manipulation of the legal system.
