ILLUSTRATIONS Lucas Leibholtz
10) WANG JINGWEI
Birthplace China
time of betrayal Sino-Japanese War, 1930s
After participating in the Kuomintang, a movement that struggled to unify the country, Jingwei revolted and switched to the enemy side just as China’s war against Japan literally caught fire. Not only did he turn a blind eye to Japanese advances, he conquered Nanking Province for his new friends.
By exchanging China for Japan, Wang Jingwei set aside his communist ideology to defend a country that was part of the Axis group, the same one that was commanded by Nazi Germany in World War II.
9) ALDRICH AMES
BirthplaceUSA
era of traction1980s and 1990s
A spy for the most famous American intelligence agency, the CIA, Aldrich Ames sold himself to the KGB, Russia’s secret service, during the Cold War. For a few million dollars, the traitor sold the names of those who worked for the US to the Russians. Discovered after nearly 15 years of service to enemies, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Russia hired a traitor to be its snitch infiltrator in the CIA, but it did not forgive betrayals. People denounced by Ames could not be forgiven: many were executed before they could even defend themselves.
8) TOMMASO BUSCETTA
BirthplaceItaly
era of traction1980s
He was one of the most important members of Cosa Nostra, the Italian mafia. And guess where he got rich? In Brazil, dealing drugs. Arrested by the Federal Police in 1984 and deported to Italy, he appeared repentant and handed over the entire mafia scheme. For collaborating with the police, Buscetta gained special protection and a salary for the rest of his life, which ended in 2000 when he died of cancer.
The Italian was the first mafia traitor to be known for breaking the organization’s oath of silence. He got away with it, but Cosa Nostra “erased” more than ten people from his family.
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7) DOMINGOS FERNANDES CALABAR
Birthplace Brazil
era of traction Colonial Brazil, 17th century
The only Brazilian representative on the list is considered by many to be one of the first traitors in the country’s history. Calabar was a plantation owner in the captaincy of Pernambuco and allied himself with the Dutch when they invaded Brazilian lands – at the time, under the rule of Portugal. As he knew the territory of Pernambuco like the back of his hand, he helped in practically all of Holland’s conquests in these parts.
Some historians question Calabar’s fame as a traitor and claim that he fought alongside the Dutch because he believed that, without Portugal’s rule, the homeland would be free.
6) AUGUSTO PINOCHET
Birthplace Chile
era of traction 1970s
On August 25, 1973, the President of Chile, Salvador Allende, chose one of the soldiers he considered most loyal to assume the leadership of the Army. Three weeks later, Pinochet led a military coup to overthrow him and establish a dictatorship that would last 17 years. Pinochet even offered a plane for the president to flee, but a radio transmission revealed that his intention was to throw Allende from the aircraft in mid-flight.
Allende trusted Pinochet so much that, on the morning of the day of the coup, he allegedly said: “Call Augusto, he is one of ours”.
5) SILVERIO DOS REIS
Birthplace Portugal
era of traction Colonial Brazil, 18th century
Despite being Portuguese, he became one of Brazil’s most famous traitors even before the country was freed from Portugal. That’s because he skipped over the first independence movement, the famous Inconfidência Mineira. To escape his debts to the Crown, he handed over his friend Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes. The conclusion everyone already knows: the leader of the inconfidentes ended up hanged and quartered.
In addition to having his debts forgiven, the Tiradentes informer won a lifetime pension from the Portuguese government and was even received by Dom João.
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4) HEINRICH HIMMLER
Birthplace Germany
era of traction World War II (1939-1945)
Leaving your fellow fighters and going over to the other side is considered treason, regardless of which side you’re fighting on. That’s why Himmler, the head of the Nazi police, is here. After all, when he realized that the chances of winning the war were practically nil, he did not hesitate to abandon Hitler and negotiate a surrender of Germany with the US and Great Britain.
Himmler tried to hand over Germany to the Allies in exchange for her freedom. But he did not work out: he was considered a war criminal, he was arrested and committed suicide.
3) MARCUS JUNIUS BRUTUS
BirthplacePomegranate
era of traction44 BC
Brutus certainly wasn’t the first traitor in history, but he was the first to become famous. After fighting for the Roman Empire, ruled by his adoptive father, Julius Caesar, he teamed up with another traitor, General Cassius Longinus, to seize power. If the betrayal wasn’t enough, the guy agreed to put into practice the plan to assassinate the «papito». Upon being struck, Caesar sent the famous phrase: “Even you, Brutus?”
After the betrayal, Brutus even assembled an army to dominate the Roman Empire, but was defeated by Mark Antony. Then conscience weighed and he committed suicide.
2) TALLEYRAND-PÉRIGORD
Birthplace France
era of traction French Revolution, 18th century
For Napoleon Bonaparte’s foreign minister, «treason is a question of dates». Perhaps for this reason, Talleyrand not only abandoned the Emperor but also radically changed sides. At a time when France was spreading the principles of revolution across Europe, he organized the overthrow of Napoleon and the return of the Bourbons to restore the monarchy.
After the crocodile, Talleyrand served as ambassador to Louis XVIII, who succeeded Napoleon, and represented France at the Congress of Vienna.
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1) JUDAS ISCARIOT
Birthplace Galilee
era of traction 33 years after the birth of Christ
He did not “simply” betray a homeland, a party or an ideology. The most famous traitor in history is still remembered today as the guy who tripped the only son of the Almighty. And worse: according to Bible, Judas handed over Jesus Christ to the Roman soldiers in exchange for a measly 30 pieces of silver. Repentant, the apostle tried to return the money and go back, but it was too late. Christ was crucified and Judas, guilty, committed suicide.
In some cities around the world, including here in Brazil, there is the custom of “working out” Judas on Hallelujah Saturday (which comes before Easter Sunday).