In recent years, several world leaders have faced assassination attempts, highlighting a disturbing trend of violence against political figures. The latest incident involved former U.S. President Donald Trump, who narrowly escaped a shooting during a meeting in Butler, Pennsylvania. This event has drawn comparisons to similar attacks on other global leaders.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was the most recent head of state targeted before Trump. On May 15, 2024, Fico was shot four times after a government meeting in Handlova. He sustained serious injuries and underwent two major surgeries. Despite the severity of his injuries, Fico returned to work less than two months later and expressed forgiveness towards his attacker, a 71-year-old poet named Juraj Cintula.
The assassination attempt on Fico is not an isolated incident. In July 2022, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot during an election rally in Nara. Similarly, in September 2018, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed during a campaign event, leading to multiple surgeries. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also survived a drone attack in August 2018. These incidents underscore the increasing risks faced by political leaders worldwide.
