Ronnie Brunswijk

Ronnie Brunswijk (born 7 March 1961) is a Surinamese politician, businessman, former rebel leader, footballer and convicted drug trafficker, who is serving as the current Vice President of Suriname.

Brunswijk served as the personal bodyguard of military dictator Dési Bouterse in the early 1980s, but was discharged after asking for a raise, and denied back pay.

In 1984, Brunswijk asked for a raise, but was discharged instead on 16 April, and refused back pay by Major Paul Bhagwandas.

In 1985, he formed the Surinamese Liberation Army, better known as the Jungle Commando.

From 1986, his forces fought against the national military under Bouterse in the Surinamese Interior War, a civil war that resulting in hundreds of deaths and more than 10,000 refugees in French Guiana, until a peace treaty was signed in 1992.

Brunswijk remained active in politics, serving as chair of the General Liberation and Development Party (Algemene Bevrijdings- en Ontwikkelingspartij, ABOP), and as a representative in the National Assembly.

In addition he is the owner of Marowijne football club Inter Moengotapoe, which he has also appeared for as a player.

The Surinamese Interior War started in Stolkertsijver on 22 July 1986 at around 03:00.

12 soldiers guarding the checkpoint were captured by the Jungle Commando headed by Brunswijk.

In 1986, Brunswijk was sentenced in absentia for a bank robbery in Moengo on 26 April.

Said bank robbery, a non-violent offence, earned Ronnie Brunswijk the title "Robin Hood of Suriname" due to his liberation of stolen funds from government held institutions that were returned to the people.

During the war, the Jungle Commando received arms and funding from the Netherlands, and Dutch Colonel Bas van Tussenbroek was moved to French Guiana to transfer funds, and serve as military advisor.

On 29 November 1986, the Surinamese army took revenge by attacking Brunswijk's birth village of Moiwana, where they murdered at least 39 villagers, mostly women and children.

They burned down Brunswijk's house and destroyed the village.

More than 100 refugees fled across the border to French Guiana, which became a destination for other refugees as the war wore on.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ordered the government to pay millions of US dollars in compensation to the 130 survivors of the village attack.

The government and Brunswijk negotiated a ceasefire on 21 July 1989 in Kourou that included conversion of the Jungle Commando to a regular part of the Surinamese Army, with responsibility for patrolling their traditional interior territory.

The government also promised jobs for Maroons in gold prospecting and forestry, as they were isolated from many developing industries.

On 8 August 1992, a final peace treaty was signed.

The Netherlands prosecuted both Brunswijk and Bouterse in absentia for drug trafficking, and both men were convicted.

Brunswijk was convicted in absentia in the Netherlands to eight years imprisonment for cocaine smuggling by a Dutch court in Haarlem despite numerous witnesses contesting the claims.

Brunswijk appealed the ruling pursuant to insufficient evidence.

In 2000, he was convicted to six years on appeal.

In December 2007, Brunswijk and Paul Somohardjo assaulted Rashied Doekhi, a member of Desi Bouterse's party, in the Surinamese parliament after Doekhi assaulted Brunswijk and Somohardjo, then chair of the Surinamese parliament.

The event was broadcast on live television.

Brunswijk was owner of Robruns NV, a gold mining company.

According to a Parbode, Brunswijk owned six gold concessions in 2012.

Brunswijk sought to gain recognition and rights for the Maroon minority of the interior, descendants of runaway African slaves who had established independent communities in the 17th and 18th centuries.

On 29 June 2020, Brunswijk became Chairperson of the National Assembly of Suriname.

On 13 July, Brunswijk was elected vice-president by acclamation in an uncontested election.

He was inaugurated on 16 July.

Ronnie Brunswijk joined the Suriname National Army at the age of 18.

He was considered a good soldier, and was sent to Cuba for commando training.

After finishing his training, he was appointed as a personal bodyguard of Desi Bouterse.

During a state visit to Nickerie a gunshot was fired.

Brunswijk immediately rushed forward to protect the President.

Later it was discovered that a soldier in the honorary guard had fired his weapon by accident.

There is as of July 2020, an Interpol arrest warrant against him.

Brunswijk is chairman of the Surinamese political party General Liberation and Development Party (Algemene Bevrijdings- en Ontwikkelingspartij, ABOP).

In July 2020, Brunswijk transferred ownership of the gold concessions to a foundation in order to qualify for the Vice Presidency.