NEWS
January 13, 1988
Suriname's Parliament unanimously elected a former agriculture minister as president, making him the first civilian leader of the South American nation since a military takeover in February, 1980. Ramashewak Shankar was the only presidential candidate, having been picked by the Front for Democracy and Development, the three-party coalition that took 40 of the 51 seats in the National Assembly in the Nov. 25 election. Military strongman Lt. Col.
NEWS
December 29, 1990 | From Times Staff and Wire Reports
The Organization of American States, meeting in Washington, deplored the military coup in Suriname and called for restoration of democracy in the former Dutch colony in South America. In Paramaribo, Suriname's capital, politicians and army leaders held frantic talks to find a successor to President Ramsewak Shankar, who resigned after this week's bloodless coup. Military leaders promised that elections will be held within 100 days.
NEWS
February 2, 1991 | From Times Staff and Wire Reports
The U.S. Agency for International Development announced it was suspending aid to Suriname because of a December coup by the army that toppled a democratically elected government. In a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Paramaribo, Suriname, the agency said it was suspending aid under provisions of the U.S. Foreign Assistance Appropriations Act because of the coup that deposed President Ramsewak Shankar, who was voted into office in 1987.
NEWS
December 28, 1990 | Reuters
The Organization of American States called a special session for today to discuss the situation in Suriname, where military leaders ousted the elected civilian government in a coup on Christmas Eve. Venezuela requested the extraordinary session, which will be held at OAS headquarters here.
NEWS
November 21, 1992 | From Reuters
The army commander who led two coups in Suriname resigned as head of the military Friday amid reports that he used his position to enrich himself, the official Suriname News Agency said. Col. Desi Bouterse rejected suggestions that he is the nation's richest man and denied a Dutch news report this week charging that he used state funds to amass his wealth, SNA said. Bouterse dominated much of the history of Suriname after it became independent from the Netherlands in 1975.