Suriname former dictator and convicted murderer Desi Bouterse has died at 79
Key Points(5)
- Desi Bouterse, the former dictator and later elected president of Suriname, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 79.
- His death was confirmed by the government on Wednesday.
- Bouterse was a controversial figure, admired by many in the country's poor and working-class communities, but also deeply criticized for his involvement in political violence and human rights abuses.
- Bouterse first came to power in 1980 after leading a military coup as a young sergeant major in the Surinamese Army.
- His rule was marked by a series of brutal actions, including the killing of political opponents.
Desi Bouterse, the former dictator and later elected president of Suriname, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 79. His death was confirmed by the government on Wednesday.
Bouterse was a controversial figure, admired by many in the country's poor and working-class communities, but also deeply criticized for his involvement in political violence and human rights abuses.
Bouterse first came to power in 1980 after leading a military coup as a young sergeant major in the Surinamese Army. His rule was marked by a series of brutal actions, including the killing of political opponents. In 1987, under international pressure and amid growing political unrest, Bouterse stepped down from his position as president. However, he later returned to politics and was elected president in 2010, a position he held until 2020.
In December 2023, Bouterse was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murders of 15 opponents of the then-military government in December 1982, ending a historic 16-year legal process. He then vanished and never served time in jail despite the sentencing.
Surinamese Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk wrote on Facebook Wednesday that Bouterse's “life had a lasting impact on our country and his efforts will not be forgotten.” The cause of death was not immediately known.
“There is nobody who has shaped the history of Suriname since its independence like Desi Bouterse,” said Dutch historian Pepijn Reeser, who wrote a biography of Bouterse in 2015.
He said that Bouterse was the first to overcome the stark social class divide that once defined Suriname.
“Before the coup, it was unthinkable somebody from the lower class could become the most powerful man of the country. But he was also the first post-colonial leader to resort to political violence, and the first to use Suriname as a transshipment point for illegal narcotics,” Reeser said.
Despite his tarnished reputation due to his past actions, Bouterse remained a popular figure among certain segments of Surinamese society, particularly among the lower classes, who saw him as a leader who stood up for their interests. Early Wednesday, dozens of supporters gathered outside Bouterse's home where his wife lived, tears streaming down their faces. Many were dressed in purple, the colour of his political party.
His death marks the end of a controversial and tumultuous chapter in Suriname's modern history.
