Captain Ibrahim Traoré has now ruled Burkina Faso for four years, matching the tenure of Thomas Sankara, the revolutionary icon who Traoré says inspires him. Both men took power as young army captains known for wearing red berets, promising sovereignty, Pan-Africanism, and economic independence. Sankara, who seized power in 1983, promoted education, women’s empowerment, and self-reliance before his assassination in 1987. Traoré has sought to evoke similar themes through policies including gold mine nationalizations, support for local industries, and an infrastructure initiative. His government, however, faces a markedly different security environment, with jihadist violence affecting large parts of Burkina Faso. Politically, he has taken a harder line, restricting opposition and forcibly recruiting journalists, magistrates, and civil society figures who oppose him for the front. Internationally, Traoré has distanced Burkina Faso from former colonial ruler France, deepened ties with Russia, and joined Mali and Niger in a new regional confederation.