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When the dictator of a family dictatorship dies, one of his relatives (usually his son) becomes the new ruler of the country. This transition often occurs after years of "grooming" the dictator's successor as heir apparent.

1 Successful transitions of power

• England: Oliver Cromwell ( 1653- 1658) succeeded by his son Richard Cromwell ( 1658- 1659)
• Nicaragua: Anastasio Somoza García ( 1937- 1947, 1950Events January January 5 US Senator Estes Kefauver introduces a resolution calling for examination of organized crime in the USA January 6 The United Kingdom recognizes the People's Republic of China. The Republic of China severs diplomatic relations with- 19561956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. see link for calendar) Events January January 1 End of Anglo- Egyptian Condominium in Sudan. January 16 President Gamal Abdal Nasser of Egypt vows to reconquer Palestine January 26 1956 Winter Olympic Games open in) succeeded by his son Luis Somoza DebayleLuis Somoza Debayle was the Acting President and later dictator and President of Nicaragua from 1956- 1967 following his father's assassination in 1956. His brother, as the head of the National Guard, held powerful influence in the country's governance as ( 19561956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. see link for calendar) Events January January 1 End of Anglo- Egyptian Condominium in Sudan. January 16 President Gamal Abdal Nasser of Egypt vows to reconquer Palestine January 26 1956 Winter Olympic Games open in- 1963Events January-March January 11 The Whisky A Go-Go night club in Los Angeles, the first disco in the USA, is opened. January 14 George Wallace becomes governor of Alabama. January 22 Elysee treaty between France and Germany January 28 Black student Harvey). There was also a third SomozaSomoza was the name of an influential family dictatorship in Nicaragua. Three of the Somozas served as President of Nicaragua. They were: Anastasio Somoza Garcia (1937-1947, 1950-1956), the father Luis Somoza Debayle (1956-1963), his eldest son Anastasio president, Anastasio Somoza DebayleAnastasio Somoza Debayle ( December 5, 1925 September 17, 1980) was the President of Nicaragua from 1967 to 1972 and then from 1974 to 1979. As head of the National Guard, he also effectively held power in the intervening years. He was the last member of ( 1967Events January January 4 British motorboat racer Donald Campbell dies while attempting a water speed record in Coniston Lake. January 4 Algerian revolutionary Mohammed Khider is shot in Madrid. January 6 Vietnam War: USMC and ARVN troops launch " Operatio- 1972, 1974- 1979), though he did not directly succeed the other two.
• Haiti: François Duvalier ( 1957- 1971) succeeded by his son Jean-Claude Duvalier ( 1971- 1986)
• Republic of China (from 1949 on Taiwan): Chiang Kai-shek ( 1928- 1975) indirectly succeeded by his son Chiang Ching-kuo ( 1975- 1988)
• North Korea: Kim Il Sung ( 1948- 1994) succeeded by his son Kim Jong Il ( 1994- )
• Syria: Hafez al-Assad ( 1971- 2000) succeeded by his son Bashar al-Assad ( 2000- )
• Congo-Kinshasa: Laurent Kabila ( 1997- 2001), succeeded by his son Joseph Kabila ( 2001-)
• Azerbaijan: Heydar Aliyev ( 1993- 2003) succeeded by his son Ilham Aliyev ( 2003- )
• Singapore: Lee Kuan Yew ( 1965- 1990) indirectly succeeded by his son Lee Hsien Loong ( 2004-)