The foundations underpinning the tenure of one of the world’s longest-serving prime ministers are starting to shake. For 35 years, Hun Sen has staked his claim to power in Cambodia through a combination of strongman rule and breakneck growth. But now the global pandemic threatens to leave the authoritarian with only one string to his bow. While the Southeast Asian nation reports only around 120 cases, its trade and China-reliant economy could implode and impoverish millions.
(Then US Secretary of State John Kerry poses with Hun Sen in 2016, Photo Credit: Creative Commons)