Prabowo Subianto | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 17 October 1951 Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Nationality | Indonesian |
| Political party | Gerindra |
Prabowo Subianto Joyohadikusumu (born 17 October 1951) is an Indonesian politician and presidential candidate. He is running against Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo and is a supporter of the former dictator Suharto.[1]
Military career
East Timor
Prabowo commanded the unit that murdered East Timor's first prime minister, Nicolau Lobato, in 1978. In 1983, he undermined a peace process between the Indonesian military and future Timorese president Xanana Gusmão. In 1985, he attended the School of the Americas.[1]
West Papua
In 1996, Prabowo hired South African mercenaries while fighting against West Papuan independence fighters. After releasing international researchers who had been taken hostage, they killed up to 200 civilians.[1]
Political career
In 2020, President Joko Widodo appointed Prabowo as Defense Minister of Indonesia. He has run for other elected offices but has never won before.[1]