Lazarus Eitaro Salii (17 November 1936 – 20 August 1988) was a politician from

Palau Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caro ...

. He served as the second elected

President of Palau The president of the Republic of Palau is the head of state and head of government of Palau. The president is directly elected to a four-year term, and can be reelected once in a consecutive manner. List of presidents Latest election ...

from 25 October 1985 until he committed suicide on 20 August 1988, amid bribery allegations. Salii was elected to the Senate of Micronesian Congress. He was involved in the Palau Constitutional Convention of 1978. After the Constitution took effect in 1981, he became an ambassador. As ambassador, he was given wide-ranging authority to negotiate with the U.S. ambassador. He was ambassador until 1984, when he became a senator, representing

Koror Koror is the state comprising the main commercial centre of the Republic of Palau. It consists of several islands, the most prominent being Koror Island (also ''Oreor Island''). It is Palau’s most populous state. History In the oral tradition ...

in the

Palau National Congress Palau has a bicameral legislature, the Palau National Congress (''Olbiil era Kelulau''), consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Palau, which both sit at the capitol complex in Ngerulmud, Melekeok State. The House of Delegates has ...

. When President

Haruo Remeliik Haruo Ignacio Remeliik (1 June 1933 – 30 June 1985) was a politician from Palau. He served as the first President of Palau from 2 March 1981 until his assassination on 30 June 1985. He is buried at Kloulklubed in his home state of Peleliu. R ...

was assassinated on 30 June 1985, Salii was elected in August to finish his term of office (although Thomas Remengesau and then

Alfonso Oiterong Alfonso Rebochong Oiterong (9 October 1924 – 30 August 1994) was a politician from Palau who served as the country's Vice President of Palau, Vice President from 1981 to 1985. Despite internal problems in Palau during the Remeliik administration ...

served in the interim). Following his suicide by gunshot in 1988, he was succeeded by Vice President Remengesau as president for the remainder of his term, followed by

Ngiratkel Etpison Ngiratkel Etpison (3 May 1925 – 1 August 1997) was a politician and businessman from Palau. Etpison was elected President in 1988 and served from 1989 until 1993, becoming the country’s first elected president to serve a full term in office. ...

as the fifth president.

References

1936 births 1988 deaths Politicians who committed suicide Members of the Senate of Palau Presidents of Palau Suicides in Palau Heads of state who committed suicide People from Angaur Deaths by firearm in Palau Ambassadors of Palau Members of the Congress of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 20th-century Palauan politicians {{Palau-politician-stub