POLITICIANS from Suriname

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Surinamer Politicians of all time. This list of famous Surinamer Politicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Surinamer Politicians.

1. Dési Bouterse (b. 1945)

With an HPI of 63.67, Dési Bouterse is the most famous Surinamer Politician.  His biography has been translated into 59 different languages on wikipedia.

Desiré Delano Bouterse (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈdeːsi ˈbʌutərsə]; born 13 October 1945) is a Surinamese military officer, politician, convicted murderer, and drug trafficker who served as President of Suriname from 2010 to 2020. From 1980 to 1987, he was Suriname's de facto leader after conducting a military coup and establishing a period of military rule. In 1987, Bouterse founded the National Democratic Party (NDP). On 25 May 2010, Bouterse's political alliance, the Megacombinatie ("Mega combination"), which included the NDP, won the parliamentary elections, and on 19 July 2010, Bouterse was elected as President of Suriname with 36 of 50 parliament votes. He was inaugurated on 12 August 2010. Bouterse is a controversial figure, held responsible by some for numerous human rights violations committed during his military rule in the 1980s. Most notable were the December murders in 1982. He was prosecuted for the murders, and a trial was initiated, but the National Assembly extended amnesty to him in 2012. After the trial was forced to continue, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison on 29 November 2019. He is also suspected of having directed the Moiwana massacre in 1986 against a village of Maroons during the Surinamese Interior War which pitted his government first against the maroon guerrilla group Jungle Commando, led by his former bodyguard, Ronnie Brunswijk, and then against the indigenous group Tucayana Amazonas. On 16 July 1999, Bouterse was sentenced in absentia in the Netherlands to 11 years' imprisonment after being convicted of trafficking 474 kg (1,045 lb) of cocaine. Bouterse always maintained his innocence. He claimed the star witness in the case, Patrick van Loon, was bribed by the Dutch government. According to the United States diplomatic cables leak released in 2011, Bouterse was active in the drug trade until 2006. Europol has issued a warrant for his arrest. At that time, he could not be arrested in Suriname, because he was still president. As he was convicted of the drug offense before his election in 2010 as head of state, he risked arrest if he left Suriname. In 2023, he was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment for the 1982 murders of fifteen political dissidents. He was reported missing by the Surinamese authorities in January 2024 after refusing to report to prison. He is currently considered a fugitive.

2. Ronald Venetiaan (b. 1937)

With an HPI of 57.99, Ronald Venetiaan is the 2nd most famous Surinamer Politician.  His biography has been translated into 38 different languages.

Ronald Runaldo Venetiaan (born 18 June 1936) is a former politician who served as the sixth president of Suriname.

3. Chan Santokhi (b. 1959)

With an HPI of 57.67, Chan Santokhi is the 3rd most famous Surinamer Politician.  His biography has been translated into 42 different languages.

Chandrikapersad "Chan" Santokhi (Dutch: [tɕɑnˈdrikaːpɛrˌsɑt sɑnˈtɔki]; Sarnami: चंद्रिकापेर्साद सांतोखी, pronounced [cⁿd̪rikɑːpərəsɑːd̪ə sⁿt̪oːkʰiː]; born 3 February 1959) is a Surinamese politician and former police officer who is the 9th president of Suriname, since 2020. After winning the 2020 elections, Santokhi was the sole nominee for president of Suriname. On 13 July, Santokhi was elected president by acclamation in an uncontested election. He was inaugurated on 16 July.

4. Johan Ferrier (1910 - 2010)

With an HPI of 56.87, Johan Ferrier is the 4th most famous Surinamer Politician.  His biography has been translated into 35 different languages.

Johan Henri Eliza Ferrier (12 May 1910 – 4 January 2010) was a Surinamese politician who served as the 1st president of Suriname from 1975 to 1980. He was also the country's last governor-general before independence, serving from 1968 to 1975, before becoming the first president upon independence from the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1975. He was named the twentieth century's most important politician in Suriname in 1999.

5. Jules Wijdenbosch (b. 1942)

With an HPI of 55.23, Jules Wijdenbosch is the 5th most famous Surinamer Politician.  His biography has been translated into 28 different languages.

Jules Albert Wijdenbosch (born 2 May 1941 in Paramaribo) is a Surinamese politician who was President of Suriname from 1996 to 2000. He was a member of the National Democratic Party, which held absolute power in Suriname during the 1980s. He was Prime Minister from April 1987 until January 1988, Vice President from January 1991 until September 1991, and President from September 1996 until August 2000. He is now the leader of Democratic National Platform 2000. The Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge, which connects the East of the country with Paramaribo, has been named after Wijdenbosch.

6. Hendrick Chin A Sen (1934 - 1999)

With an HPI of 53.45, Hendrick Chin A Sen is the 6th most famous Surinamer Politician.  His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Hendrick Rudolf "Henk" Chin A Sen (Chinese: 陳亞先; pinyin: Chén Yàxiān; 18 January 1934 – 11 August 1999) was a Surinamese politician who served as the President of Suriname from 15 August 1980 until 4 February 1982.

7. Henck Arron (1936 - 2000)

With an HPI of 49.74, Henck Arron is the 7th most famous Surinamer Politician.  Her biography has been translated into 18 different languages.

Henck Alphonsus Eugène Arron (25 April 1936 – 4 December 2000) was a Surinamese politician who served as the first Prime Minister of Suriname after it gained independence in 1975. A member of the National Party of Suriname, he served from 24 December 1973 with the transition government, to 25 February 1980. He was overthrown in a coup d'état by the military, led by Dési Bouterse. Released in 1981 after charges of corruption were dropped, he returned to banking, his previous career. In 1987, Arron was elected as Vice President of Suriname and served until another coup in 1990 overthrew the government.

8. Johan Kraag (1913 - 1996)

With an HPI of 49.74, Johan Kraag is the 8th most famous Surinamer Politician.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Johannes Samuel Petrus "Johan" Kraag (29 July 1913 – 24 May 1996) was a Surinamese politician who served as the President of Suriname from 29 December 1990, until 16 September 1991.

9. Ramsewak Shankar (b. 1937)

With an HPI of 48.86, Ramsewak Shankar is the 9th most famous Surinamer Politician.  His biography has been translated into 21 different languages.

Ramsewak Shankar (born 6 November 1937) is a Surinamese politician who was the 4th President of Suriname, serving from 1988 to 1990. His government was overthrown by Dési Bouterse leading a bloodless military coup. Shankar had previously served as Agriculture & Fisheries Minister from 1969 to 1971. Shankar is a member of the large ethnic South Asian community in Suriname. He had studied at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. After his return to Suriname, he became active in the Progressive Reform Party. He supported independence in 1975.

10. Remy Bonjasky (b. 1976)

With an HPI of 48.55, Remy Bonjasky is the 10th most famous Surinamer Politician.  His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Remy Kenneth Bonjasky (born January 10, 1976) is a Surinamese-Dutch former kickboxer. He is a three-time K-1 World Grand Prix heavyweight champion, winning the title in 2003, 2004, and 2008. He is widely considered one of the greatest kickboxers of all time. Bonjasky has been known for his flying kicks, knee attacks and strong defense, hence the nickname "The Flying Gentleman".