Rubén Blades
AFP via Getty Images
In 1993, this musician, actor, and activist founded the Movimiento Papa Egoró—or the Mother Earth Movement—in his native Panama, in hopes of unseating then-President Guillermo Endara. His ambitions were sadly short-lived as, during the 1994 elections, Blades was beaten by Ernesto Balladares. To his credit, Blades did better than expected, coming in third with a healthy 17% of the vote. A decade later, he would find a way into Panamanian politics when he was appointed minister of tourism by President Martin Torrijos.
