Forbes magazine released their annual “World’s Most Powerful” list, naming United States President Barack Obama as the World’s Most Powerful Person in 2012.
President Obama took the top spot in a list that includes over 71 powerful heads of state, philanthropists, financial tycoons, and entrepreneurs.
“U.S. President Barack Obama emerged, unanimously, as the world’s most powerful person, for the second year running. Obama was the decisive winner of the 2012 U.S. presidential election, and now he gets four more years to push his agenda,” says David M. Ewalt, writer for Forbes.
This year the list also includes six powerful Latin Americans. On the list are Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim (#11), Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff (#18), Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez (#48), Chilean President Sebastian Pinera (#49), Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto (#54), and Mexican drug cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman (#63).
In order to qualify for the list, Forbes takes into account four components: the amount of people the individual has power over, the individual’s assets compared to their peers, the candidate’s influence in multiple circles, and if the candidate actively uses their power.
Other prominent figures featured in this year’s list include Microsoft’s Bill Gates (#4), New York City Mayor Michael Bloomerg (#16), Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (#25), and former President of the United States Bill Clinton (#50).
“Obama remains the commander in chief of the world’s greatest military and head of the sole economic and cultural superpower — literally the leader of the free world,” says Forbes.
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