Chan Santokhi 10th President of Suriname since 16 July 2020 Date of Birth: 03.02.1959

Content:

1. Early Life and Education
2. Police Career
3. Minister of Justice
4. The December Murders Investigation
5. Lawsuit Against Desi Bouterse
6. CICAD Representative
7. 2010 Elections Participation
8. Chairman of the Progressive Reform Party
9. President of Suriname
10. Personal Life

Early Life and Education

Chan Santokhi was born on February 3, 1959, in Lelydorp, Suriname. Growing up in a rural area as the youngest of nine children, his parents worked as a port worker and a vendor. After completing high school, Santokhi received a scholarship to study in the Netherlands. From 1978 to 1982, he attended the Dutch Police Academy in Apeldoorn.

Police Career

Upon graduating, Santokhi returned to Suriname in September 1982 and joined the police force. At the age of 23, he served as police inspector in Geyersvlijt and Wanica. In 1989, he became the head of the National Criminal Investigation Department. By 1991, he was promoted to Chief Commissioner of Police.

Minister of Justice

In September 2005, Santokhi was sworn in as Minister of Justice and Police for the Progressive Reform Party of Suriname. His tenure was marked by a tough crackdown on crime, particularly drug trafficking, and a strict adherence to law and order. This earned him the nickname "Sheriff" from Desi Bouterse.

The December Murders Investigation

As Police Commissioner, Chan Santokhi led the investigation into the December Murders. He built a highly secured courtroom in Dom burg specifically for the December Murder Trial. On November 26, 2007, four days before the trial commenced, Desi Bouterse alleged that Chan Santokhi wanted "to lock him up in prison and kill him." Bouterse added that numerous previous attempts to "eliminate him" had failed and warned Santokhi to be cautious of his "intentions to eliminate Bouterse." On November 29, 2019, the December Murder Trial concluded with Bouterse sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Lawsuit Against Desi Bouterse

On September 10, 2008, Chan Santokhi filed a lawsuit against Desi Bouterse for slander and libel after Bouterse insinuated that Santokhi had ties to drug lords and other criminals. On September 23, the court ruled that the allegations were unfounded, ordered Bouterse to publish a correction, and imposed a penalty of SRD 100,000 for each day Bouterse failed to comply. That same day, Bouterse published a correction in the newspaper De West, admitting that his claims were untrue.

CICAD Representative

Chan Santokhi served as a representative for the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) for 15 years. Initially elected as its president for a one-year term on December 6, 2010, he was also vice president of the organization in 2009.

2010 Elections Participation

In the 2010 parliamentary elections, Chan Santokhi received the second-highest number of votes behind Desi Bouterse, despite his placement low on the Progressive Reform Party's electoral list. That July, he was nominated as the presidential candidate of the New Front for Democracy and Development parliamentary faction. Santokhi's presidential bid faced competition from Desi Bouterse. Forming a coalition with Ronnie Brunswijk and Paul Somohardjo, Bouterse's party secured 36 seats, while the New Front won only 14. As a result, Bouterse was elected as the eighth President of Suriname.

Chairman of the Progressive Reform Party

On July 3, 2011, Santokhi was elected Chairman of the Progressive Reform Party (PRP). Under Santokhi's leadership, the PRP became a multi-ethnic party and is reportedly the second largest political party in Suriname today. Holding 8 seats in parliament, the Progressive Reform Party was the country's largest opposition party until 2020.

President of Suriname

On May 26, 2020, preliminary results from the 2020 Surinamese parliamentary elections indicated that the PRP had won the most seats and that Chan Santokhi was likely to become the next President of Suriname. On May 30, Santokhi formally submitted his nomination for the country's top office. On June 29, the PRP nominated Chan Santokhi as its presidential candidate, with the coalition also nominating Ronnie Brunswijk as the vice presidential candidate on July 7.

On July 13, Santokhi was elected President by acclamation in an uncontested election. His inauguration took place on July 16 in Independence Square in Paramaribo. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was held without a public audience. Santokhi took the oath of office by reciting Hindu Sanskrit shlokas and mantras. The inauguration ceremony was also blessed by several Christian religious leaders.

In September 2021, Santokhi made a historical visit to the Netherlands, becoming the first Surinamese President to do so since 2008, when diplomatic relations between the two countries cooled. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte hailed the reconciliation as "historical."

Personal Life

On July 19, 2020, Chan Santokhi married his long-time partner, Mellisa Santokhi-Seenacherry, a lawyer by profession. The marriage took place in a private ceremony. Chan Santokhi also has two adult children, a daughter and a son, from a previous marriage.

Surinam

Ronald Venetiaan

Chan Santokhi