Desi Bouterse, the former dictator and later elected president of Suriname, who became a fugitive from justice for the killing of political opponents, has died at 79, the government said on Wednesday.
Still popular with the poor and working class of the South American nation, Bouterse – who died on Tuesday – rose to power after a 1980 coup as a young sergeant major in the army. He stepped down in 1987 under international pressure in the wake of political violence he was accused of orchestrating.
He returned to power in 1990 after a second coup, this time without bloodshed. Bouterse left a year later, then was elected president of the former Dutch colony in 2010 and ruled for a decade.
Current President Chan Santokhi offered condolences to Bouterse’s loved ones and urged people to “maintain calm”. He said citizens were awaiting “more detailed and definitive information from official channels” on the late leader’s passing.
Rumours began to spread around midnight about the former strongman’s sudden death after a short illness at his hideout.
His body was transferred by unknown people to his residence in the capital Paramaribo, where his family and National Democratic Party (NDP) supporters gathered early on Christmas Day to bid farewell.
