Desi Bouterse, former president of Suriname in South America who had gone into hiding after being sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder, has died at the age of 79.
Chandrikapersad Santokhi, president of Suriname, expressed condolences to the bereaved family in a statement released on the 25th (local time), saying, "This morning, I received news from government officials about the passing of former President Bouterse." Albert Ramdin, Suriname's Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated, "The Surinamese government has confirmed the death of former President of the Republic of Suriname Bouterse through its own investigation and the family."
Born on October 13, 1945, at an old sugarcane plantation near Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, Bouterse left for the Netherlands around 1968 in search of a better life. At that time, Suriname was under Dutch colonial rule. After serving in the military in the Netherlands, he served his homeland during Suriname's independence in 1975.
Bouterse later led a coup in 1980 and ruled until 1987, stepping down temporarily due to international pressure. He returned to power through a second coup in 1990 and ruled until 1992. Until his election victory in 2010, he operated businesses and wielded influence as a behind-the-scenes political power broker, serving as president until 2020.
The deceased was criticized by his opponents as a "ruthless dictator" due to various criminal acts. In a 2000 Dutch court trial held in absentia, Bouterse was sentenced to 11 years in prison for drug trafficking. In December last year, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for directly participating in the killing of 15 opposition politicians, journalists, and university professors who opposed his governance style in December 1982. Former President Bouterse, who was tried while out of custody, disappeared after falsely claiming he would voluntarily surrender to the authorities, becoming a target for police arrest. He was once spotlighted in South Korea as a figure compared to the powerful character appearing in the Netflix series "Suriname."
In Suriname, with a population of about 600,000, former President Bouterse remains supported by some for his charismatic political style. The Associated Press reported that, coming from a lower-class background, he raised pensions and implemented welfare enhancement programs during his past rule. President Santokhi urged, "I ask the people to maintain dignity and calmly preserve peace and order," attempting to prevent unrest among supporters.
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