Ronald Runaldo Venetiaan (born 18 June 1936) is a former politician who served as the 6th

President of Suriname The president of the Republic of Suriname ( nl, President van de Republiek Suriname) is, in accordance with the Constitution of 1987, the head of state and head of government of Suriname, and commander-in-chief of the Suriname National Army ( ...

Biography

Venetiaan was born in

Paramaribo Paramaribo (; ; nicknamed Par'bo) is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on the banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 241,000 people (2012 census), almost half of Suriname's po ...

. In 1955, Venetiaan left

Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the nor ...

to study

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

and

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which ...

at the University of Leiden. In 1964, he obtained his doctorandus, and returned to Suriname to become a mathematics and physics teacher. In 1973 Venetiaan was Minister of Education for the National Party of Suriname (NPS) in the government of Henck Arron. He was disposed by the 1980 Surinamese coup d'état. Venetiaan decided to teach at the

Anton de Kom University Anton de Kom University ( nl, Anton de Kom Universiteit van Suriname) is the only university in Suriname. It is located in the capital, Paramaribo, and named for Anton de Kom, an anti-colonialist activist who was killed by the Nazis while in ex ...

. In 1987, Venetiaan returned to politics as the Chairman of the National Party of Suriname, and as the Minister of Education. His first term as president ran from 1991 to 1996,Historie kabinet
/ref> after which he lost in the elections to Jules Wijdenbosch. In 2000 however, he regained his former position on the New Front banner, receiving an absolute majority of 37 from 51 votes in the Parliament. In 2005 he was re-elected to serve a third term as president and sworn in on August 12, 2005. Venetiaan relinquished the Chair of the NPS to Gregory Rusland in 2012, and retired from politics in 2013. Venetiaan thought that it was time that the younger generation take over.

Personal life

Venetiaan is a mathematician beside all political activity. His surname means ''

Venetian Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetian and the like may also refer to: * Venetian language, a Romance language s ...

'' (a person from Venice) in Dutch. Venetiaan published his first poetry under the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individu ...

Vene in ''Mamio'' (1962). Most his work was never published but was performed in theatre plays. Venetiaan had also used the pseudonym Krumanty. Venetiaan is a collaborator on Chan Santokhi's ''We gaan Suriname redden'' (We are going to save Suriname) of 2020. Ronald Venetiaan is married to Liesbeth Vanenburg, and has three daughters and one son.

References

External links

Poetry of Venetiaan at Digital Library for Dutch Literature
(in Dutch and Sranan Tongo) {{DEFAULTSORT:Venetiaan, Ronald 1936 births Living people Presidents of Suriname Education ministers of Suriname Honorary Order of the Yellow Star Leiden University alumni Members of the National Assembly (Suriname) National Party of Suriname politicians People from Paramaribo Surinamese Roman Catholics Surinamese poets Surinamese mathematicians Anton de Kom University of Suriname faculty