Investigation Prompts Resignation of Aruba’s Prime Minister

The Prime Minister of Aruba, Evelyn Wever-Croes has resigned.

Wever-Croes, the island’s first female Prime Minister who came into power in November 2017, resigned on Tuesday after prosecutors announced an investigation into one of the parties making up her ruling coalition for suspected embezzlement of funds.

A government statement said Parliament has been dissolved and a new date for elections will be announced shortly.

However, Wever-Croes will handle pending government business, including the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, until a new government is installed.

“There are times when it is necessary to make difficult decisions, but when one follows the path of integrity and puts God first, one knows you are on a good path,” Wever-Croes wrote in a Facebook post.

“In this difficult moment, I sign the resignation letter of our Wever-Croes cabinet.”

The tourism-dependent island’s economy contracted 25 percent in 2020, prompting the government to launch a stimulus package worth around 13 percent of gross domestic product.

CMC