Bouterse elected President of Surinam
Published:Monday | July 19, 2010 | 5:29 PM
Former military director in Suriname, Desi Bouterse, defeated Justice and Police Minister Chandrikapersad Santokhi during a parliamentary vote for the presidency today.
Prior to the elections, Bouterse said that he was confident he would win.
His party won 23 of the 51 seats in parliament in the May 25 general elections.
Bouterse seized power in a military coup and ruled from 1980 to 1987, then seized power again in a telephone coup in December 1990, which lasted less than a year.
He is currently on trial for the murders of 15 political opponents of the then military government in December 1982.
If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison.