CAUDILLO = a Spanish or Latin American dictator
A
caudillo is a type of personalist leader wielding military and
political power. There is no precise English translation for the term,
though it is often used interchangeably with "military dictator,"
"warlord" and "strongman". --Wikipedia
"During
the turbulent years following the nation's independence, the region
fell under the control of a powerful caudillo who consolidated authority
through military force and charismatic leadership. While his supporters
praised him as a defender of the
people and a unifying figure, critics argued that his authoritarian
rule stifled democratic progress and concentrated power in the hands of a
single individual. The legacy of his reign left a deep imprint on the
country’s political culture, shaping its struggles with centralized
authority for decades to come." --Chat GPT
Borrowed from Spanish, "leader, chief" (medieval Spanish cabdiello), going back to Vulgar Latin *capitellus "leader."