From KGB To Leader of Azerbaijan SSR
As head of the KGB's branch in Azerbaijan, he ran an anti-corruption campaign masked to purge his opponents. Following the purge, Aliyev soon became the undisputed leader of Azerbaijan. During this time, Aliyev was enriched and venerated by developing prominent ties with the Azeri mafia. Aliyev, with the help of the Azeri mafia, earned the profits from the Caspian Sea caviar, Sumgait oil, fruits and vegetables, cotton and customs and transport industries of Azerbaijan. In order to remain as undisputed leader of Azerbaijan, Aliyev paid bribes to Brezhnev in the form of gifts such as a "Sun-king" diamond ring that was worth an estimated 226,000 rubles. When two Moscow prosecutors investigated the Azeri mafia, one was tried and expelled from the Communist party and the other was convicted and shot. He also became a candidate (non-voting) member of the Soviet Politburo in 1976. He occupied this position until December 1982 when Yuri Andropov promoted him to the post of First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers.
His stardom waned following his appointment in 1985 under the rule of Mikhail Gorbachev. His political views became a "liability" in the era of perestroika, but he still exerted tremendous power in Azerbaijan. An Azeri prosecutor named Gamboi Mamedov investigated Aliyev's corruption and ties with the mafia, despite the persecutions of all his relatives in Azerbaijan. Aliyev had him fired and denounced. This led to the mass suicide of a number of Azeri mafia members, as well as 'mysterious' deaths of a number of Aliyev's lieutenants. In October 1987, Gorbachev mounted a clear-out of the Brezhnevite old guard and forced Aliyev to resign from the Politburo "for reasons of health."
George Soros speculated that the first pogroms against Armenians in Azerbaijan were instigated by the local mafia which was controlled by Aliyev, in order to create a situation that was detrimental for Gorbachev regardless of the outcome.
Aliyev dominated the political life of Azerbaijan for over 30 years, but left his oil-rich country with a problematic legacy of gross corruption.
Much of the late-Soviet violence towards Armenia has been attributed, by insiders, to be a byproduct of the Aliyev leadership.
Read more about this topic: Heydar Aliyev
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