Editing Dési Bouterse (section)

== President of Suriname (2010–2020)==
After the return of democratic government, led in succession by [[Ronald Venetiaan]], [[Jules Wijdenbosch]], and Venetiaan again, Bouterse tried repeatedly to return to power through elections. In the [[2010 Surinamese general election|2010 Surinamese legislative election]], Bouterse and his coalition, the [[Megacombinatie|Mega Combination]] (''Mega Combinatie'') became the largest bloc in the National Assembly, gaining 23 of the 51 seats. The coalition failed to gain an absolute majority in the parliament by three seats (the half of 50 plus 1 was needed). In order to secure the necessary two-thirds supermajority to become president, Bouterse cooperated with the party of his former opponent, [[Ronnie Brunswijk]], which had 7 seats; and the Peoples Alliance party (''Volks Alliantie'') of [[Paul Somohardjo]] (6 seats), who had left the ruling New Front party before the election.<ref>[http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/article1382767.ece "Enorme winst voor Bouterse in Suriname"], ''Volkskrant''.nl, 26 May 10</ref>

On 19 July 2010, Bouterse was elected president with 36 of the 51 votes; he assumed office on 12 August 2010. His running mate [[Robert Ameerali]] became [[Vice President of Suriname]].

During his presidency Dési Bouterse introduced universal health care, free school meals, a minimum wage and a national pension scheme.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2015/06/11/presidential-pardon|title=Presidential pardon|newspaper=The Economist|date=11 June 2015}}</ref> At the same time, rising government expenditures led to large budget deficits and rampant inflation, while the [[Surinamese dollar]] was devalued several times in 2016 by more than half of its value.<ref name="apdead"/>

His cabinet consisted of the following members:

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Ministry
!Minister
|-
|Labor, Technological Development & Environment
|[[Michael Miskin]]
|-
|Interior Affairs
|[[Edmund Leilis]]
|-
|Foreign Affairs
|[[Winston Lackin]] (NDP)
|-
|Defense
|[[Lamure Latour]] (NDP)
|-
|Finance & Planning
|[[Andy Rusland]] (NDP)
|-
|Trade & Industry
|[[Don soejit Tosendjojo]] (abop)
|-
|Justice & Police
|[[Edward Belfort]] (ABOP)
|-
|Agriculture
|[[Soeresh Algoe]]
|-
|Natural Resources
|[[Jim Hok]] (PALU)
|-
|Education
|[[Ashwin Adhin]] (NDP)
|-
|Public Works & Traffic
|Rabin Parmessar (NDP)
|-
|Regional Development
|[[Stanley Betterson]] (ABOP)
|-
|Spatial Planning, Land- & Forest Management
|Steven Relyveld (NDP)
|-
|Social Affairs & Housing
|[[Alice Amafo]] (ABOP)
|-
|Sport- & Youth Affairs
|[[Ismanto Adna]] (KTPI)
|-
|Transport, Communication & Tourism
|[[Falisie Pinas]] (ABOP)
|-
|Public Health
|[[Michel Blokland]]
|}

The first minister of Spatial Planning [[Martinus Sastroredjo]] (KTPI) had been relieved of his duties at the end of 2010 due to his life partner asking for a piece of land with the help of a ministry official. He was succeeded by [[Simon Martosatiman]], also a member of the political party [[Party for National Unity and Solidarity|KTPI]]. The second minister to leave office for personal reasons was Miss [[Wonnie Boedhoe]], the first minister of Finance & Planning of this cabinet.

By the end of April 2011, several ministers had been dismissed due to political changes in the cabinet. They included [[Paul Abena]] (Sport- & Youth Affairs), [[Martin Misiedjan]] (Justice & Police), [[Celsius Waterberg]] (Public Health), [[Linus Diko]] (Regional Development), and [[Simon Martosatiman]]. The ministers [[Raymond Sapoen]], [[Michael Miskin]] and [[Ginmardo Kromosoeto]] were assigned to new posts. In addition to the newly formed cabinet, two deputy ministers were installed. [[Mahinder Gopie]] had served as the secretary of the [[President (government title)|president]] and was made the [[deputy minister]] of Regional Development. [[Abigail Lie A Kwie]], a loyalist of Pertjajah Luhur chairman [[Paul Somohardjo]], started as the deputy minister of Public Works & Traffic, but was moved in October 2012 to the ministry of Agriculture.

The president's four top advisors were [[Jules Wijdenbosch]], who handles the country's administrative and constitutional affairs; [[Errol Alibux]], who advises the president about foreign affairs and international laws; [[Eddy Jozefzoon]], who deals with the country's social and educational issues; and [[Andy Rusland]], who oversees the nation's economy. The president appointed [[Cliffton Limburg]] as his press secretary and cabinet's spokesman; he was a propagandist for Bouterse and a talkshow host. Bouterse installed [[Gillmore Hoefdraad]], a former [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) official, as the new [[governor]] of the Central Bank of Suriname.

After the [[2015 Surinamese general election|2015 Surinamese legislative election]], Bouterse's NDP won 26 seats; he was reelected unopposed on 14 July 2015.<ref>[https://www.voanews.com/a/suriname-bouterse-secures-second-presidential-term/2862157.html Suriname's Bouterse Secures Second Presidential Term] Voice of America, 14 July 2015</ref>

On 23 June 2020, Bouterse announced that he did not want to take his seat in the [[National Assembly (Suriname)|National Assembly]] even though he had been elected in the [[2020 Surinamese general election]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.srherald.com/suriname/2020/06/23/bouterse-bewilligt-niet-voor-lidmaatschap-dna/|title=Bouterse bewilligt niet voor lidmaatschap DNA|website=Suriname Herald|access-date=23 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> As such, [[Soewarto Moestadja]], who was on seventh place on the NDP list, had become eligible for taking the seat in the National Assembly.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.gfcnieuws.com/bouterse-heeft-niet-bewilligd-voor-lidmaatschap-dna/|title=Bouterse heeft niet bewilligd voor lidmaatschap DNA|website=GFC Nieuws|access-date=23 June 2020|language=nl}}</ref> Moestadja, being the oldest member, chaired the first meeting of the Assembly.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.srherald.com/suriname/2020/06/28/simons-voert-laatste-voorbereidend-overleg-met-fungerend-voorzitter/ |title=Simons voert laatste voorbereidend overleg met fungerend voorzitter|website=Suriname Herald|access-date=28 April 2020|language=nl}}</ref> Bouterse was not a candidate for the presidency in the 2020 elections, and as no other candidates other than [[Chan Santokhi]] had been nominated by the deadline of 8 July 2020 at 15:00 (UTC−3), Santokhi was elected as his successor on 13 July in an [[uncontested election]]. Bouterse announced his retirement from politics<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/59535|title=Kandidaatstelling Santokhi en Brunswijk een feit |website=Star Nieuws|access-date=8 July 2020|language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dbsuriname.com/2020/07/08/breaking-ndp-dient-geen-lijst-in/|title=Breaking: NDP dient geen lijst in|website=Dagblad Suriname|access-date=8 July 2020|language=nl}}</ref> on 16 July 2020.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.waterkant.net/suriname/2020/07/12/inauguratie-nieuwe-president-van-suriname-op-onafhankelijkheidsplein/|title=Inauguratie nieuwe president van Suriname op Onafhankelijkheidsplein|website=Waterkant|access-date=13 July 2020|language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://dwtonline.com/laatste-nieuws/2020/07/13/live-blog-verkiezing-president-en-vicepresident-suriname/|title=Live blog: Verkiezing president en vicepresident Suriname|website=De Ware Tijd|access-date=13 July 2020|language=nl|archive-date=15 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115220444/http://dwtonline.com/laatste-nieuws/2020/07/13/live-blog-verkiezing-president-en-vicepresident-suriname/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Honouring of the coup and handling of the December murders===
After his inauguration as president, Bouterse immediately honoured the nine surviving conspirators, who together with him had conducted the violent [[1980 Surinamese coup d'état]]; he awarded them the Grand Cordon of the [[Honorary Order of the Yellow Star]], the highest honor of Suriname. This action was met with international outrage, all nine (and Bouterse) having been involved with the December murders.<ref>[http://www.bndestem.nl/nieuws/algemeen/buitenland/8216544/Bouterse-eert-plegers-staatsgreep-1980.ece "Bouterse eert plegers staatsgreep 1980"],''BN De stem''</ref> 

After becoming president, Bouterse designated 25 February, the anniversary of the [[coup d'état]], as a national holiday.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Former president [[Ronald Venetiaan]] has said that 25 February should not be a holiday, but a national day of mourning.

Bouterse also awarded suspects in the December murders with high-level government positions. During his presidency, he publicly threatened judges investigating the case and unsuccessfully tried to remove the attorney-general.<ref name="apdead">{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/suriname-bouterse-dies-dictator-fe5300461c2239c7bbdb6b5272660ed0 |title=Former Suriname president Desi Bouterse dies in hiding |work=AP News |date=25 December 2024}}</ref>

=== Pardons ===
In December 2011, President Bouterse granted a pardon to his foster son Romano Meriba, who in 2005 was convicted to 15 years' imprisonment for the 2002 murder and robbery of a Chinese trader. Meriba was also convicted for throwing a hand grenade at the house of the Dutch ambassador. Judge Valstein-Montnor ruled that the evidence proved that Meriba tried to commit a robbery at the ambassador's house similar to that of the trader. After it was prevented by guards from the Dutch embassy, Meriba threw a hand grenade from a car at the ambassador's residence.

The pardon was controversial, as it is the first time a Surinamese President has pardoned someone convicted of murder and robbery. "People that have committed such heavy offends should not get a pardon" said former justice minister [[Chan Santokhi]]. "Besides, the requirement that a thorough investigation must be conducted and that the decision should be based on the advice by the judge who passed the sentence was ignored." Bouterse's staff said that Meriba's status as the foster son of President Bouterse was not part of the decision, and that there were strong legal arguments for the pardon. According to rumors, after Meriba was released from jail, he was hired by the heavily armed Counter Terror Unit (CTU). [[Dino Bouterse]], son of President Bouterse, was appointed to head this unit.

Bouterse hired other convicts. His delegation that visited a South American summit had two members besides Bouterse who had criminal drug records: former military {{Ill|Etienne Boerenveen|nl}} and [[Hans Jannasch]]. [[Ronald Venetiaan]], former president of Suriname, said "Such people now circulate around the state power".<ref>[http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2668/Buitenland/article/detail/3098680/2011/12/30/Bouterse-geeft-bevriende-roofmoordenaar-gratie.dhtml Bouterse geeft bevriende roofmoordenaar gratie – Buitenland – VK]. Volkskrant.nl. (30 December 2011) Retrieved on 8 January 2012.</ref><ref>[http://www.stabroeknews.com/2011/news/regional/12/30/controversy-as-bouterse-grants-pardon-to-foster-son-2/ "Controversy as Bouterse grants pardon to foster son"], ''Stabroek News – Guyana,'' 30 December 2011; Retrieved on 8 January 2012.</ref><ref>[http://www.verkiezingensuriname.nl/trans/en/2011/12/30/bouterse-verleent-gratie-aan-pleegzoon/ Bouterse grants pardon to foster son | 2010 Elections in Suriname]. Verkiezingensuriname.nl (30 December 2011). Retrieved on 8 January 2012. {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Meriba was arrested again on 23 March 2012 in Paramaribo on charges of assaulting a citizen and police officer the night before in a nightclub.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/10042|title=Meriba aangehouden voor mishandeling|work=Starnieuws }}</ref> He was not long held in police custody because the complaint was retracted the following day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dewest-online.com/?p=18655|title=Meriba weer vrij 31-03-2012|work=De West}}</ref>