Daily Mail Dictator feted by the world 2017-11-16 - HIS years in charge of Zimbabwe were an orgy of murder and corruption — but look who was happy to welcome him . . . Tyrants together: The Zimbabwe leader was a guest of Putin at the Kremlin in 2015 With Nelson Mandela in 1998. South Africa consistently refused to rein in Mugabe Dictator: Mugabe was one of the first world leaders Tony Blair met as PM in 1997 Royal role: Independence in 1980 and the new prime minister meets Prince Charles Welcome to Washington: President Bush greets Mugabe in the U.S. capital in 1991 Unholy alliance: Pope Francis with Mugabe and his wife Grace at the Vatican in 2014