Suriname’s government announced Saturday that it would not hold a state funeral or declare a national mourning period for former President Desi Bouterse, who passed away last week at 79 while on the run from justice.
President Chan Santokhi “has decided, based on his powers and advice received, that there will be no state funeral… No period of national mourning,” Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin said during a press conference.
Bouterse, a former military leader, orchestrated two coups in 1980 and 1990, establishing himself as a dictator. After years away from power, he was elected president in 2010, serving for a decade.
Bouterse died on Tuesday in an undisclosed location, where he had been hiding to avoid serving a 20-year prison sentence handed down in December 2023 for his involvement in the 1982 executions of political opponents, including lawyers, journalists, and military personnel. He was also convicted in absentia for cocaine trafficking.
His body was delivered to his residence in the capital, Paramaribo. Authorities have ordered an autopsy, but police reported no signs of foul play.
Despite his controversial past, Bouterse remained a polarizing figure, holding significant support among Suriname’s poor and working-class communities in the former Dutch colony.
While the government will not honor Bouterse with a state funeral, flags will be flown at half-staff on government buildings on the day of his funeral, out of respect for his status as a former elected president. The funeral date has not yet been announced.
