Timee's Answer
Timee, thank you for taking the time trying to figure out a valid answer to my riddle. Your answer is however very much alike what Death thought of... in fact it's almost exactly the same.
There is however another answer... which is much less complex:
"Kill the dictator in the night. Or take away his guns. Or just have everyone leave the country. He’s given the threat a day early. No sense sticking around."
That would mean the dictator isn't smart. Announcing a mass killing a day early is asking for trouble.
That answer most definitely wins 1st place in the "most pragmatic answer for a logic problem ever" category.