Fugitive Suriname Pres. Bouterse hid in Cuba & Venezuela this year; Funeral in January

The funeral of former Surinamese president Desi Bouterse is scheduled for January 3 or 4, 2025, pending the release of his body by Surinamese authorities. Prior to his recent death, Bouterese allegedly hid in Cuba and Venezuela, where he was receiving medical treatment.

According to Ramon Abrahams, vice-chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP), which Bouterse founded, the final decision on the funeral date depends on whether the Surinamese Public Prosecutor’s Office will allow the body to be released. "We need to start planning. You can't wait until the body is released to begin the arrangements,” Abrahams said.

John van den Heuvel, a Dutch crime reporter, revealed in a recent podcast that Bouterse had been hiding in both Cuba and Venezuela for medical treatment. He sought care for kidney failure and other health issues. Van den Heuvel’s sources claim to have seen Bouterse in these countries. "He had received treatment in Cuba and Venezuela for his health problems," Van den Heuvel said, adding that Bouterse likely returned to Suriname in his final days, possibly aware that his condition was terminal.

Bouterse had been convicted of ordering the execution of 15 political opponents during his military regime in the early 1980s. Despite his conviction and being placed on Interpol’s most-wanted list in March 2024, Bouterse had managed to avoid capture until his death. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death.

His passing comes just months before Suriname's general elections on May 25, 2025. The NDP had hoped to grant Bouterse a pardon if the party had won the election. However, with his death, those plans are no longer in play.