Overview
- Suriname’s government confirmed the death of Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi at 67, and officials have not released a cause.
- A former police commissioner and justice minister, he led the investigation into the December 1982 killings of 15 opponents under Desi Bouterse’s rule.
- Serving as president from 2020 to 2025, he pursued an IMF-backed rescue that cut fuel, water and electricity subsidies and triggered large protests, including a 2023 storming of Parliament.
- He was a longtime rival of Bouterse, who was later convicted over the 1982 killings and died in late 2024.
- Condolences from Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored Santokhi’s ties with both countries and his Indo‑Surinamese roots.