Bouterse: ‘Interview Santokhi contrasted sharply with our conversation’ | NOW

The Surinamese president Desi Bouterse has a conversation on Thursday at the (local time) state television first responded extensively to the results of last month’s parliamentary elections. Among other things, he spoke about the interview of the winner of the election, Chan Santokhi BNR. In that interview, Santokhi spoke about the extradition of Bouterse.

Santokhi spoke about the possible extradition of Bouterse to the Netherlands because of his conviction for drug trafficking.

In November last year, Bouterse was court-martialed in Suriname convicted up to twenty years in prison for his role in the December murders. Santokhi was asked, among other things, what he says should happen to President Bouterse.

“The Bouterse extradition request is a matter for the judicial authorities, not that of politics,” said Santokhi. According to Surinamese media however, he was misquoted hereafter, making it seem as if he was open to an extradition of Bouterse to the Netherlands.

According to Bouterse, the interview of the leader of the VHP party will assist BNR in stark contrast to what the two discussed in an hour-long conversation. “I listened to the tapes everywhere and it was not wrong,” he says.

According to the president, the conversation between the two, which would have lasted 9.5 hours, was about a smooth completion of the case and not about a possible collaboration between the NDP and the VHP, as during the interview at BNR it was suggested. “It bothered me that such an interview was conducted,” says Bouterse.

“The people have spoken”

Bouterse also admits that the current election result means that his party, the NDP, has lost. “The people have spoken. I have called to recognize and admit what our people want. Ultimately, when the people have spoken, we have to bow our heads,” says Bouterse.

Nevertheless, at the end of last month, Bouterse called for a recount of the votes by the Independent Electoral Agency (OKB). He wants to wait for the final result before congratulating the VHP.

The Surinamese elections did not go smoothly last month. The election results were postponed for days because of fraud with ballot papers and long queues at the polling stations.

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