Ronald Venetiaan Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Ronald Venetiaan
Venetiaan in 2003

6th President of Suriname
In office 12 August 2000 – 12 August 2010
Vice President	Jules Ajodhia (2000–2005) Ram Sardjoe (2005–2010)
Preceded by	Jules Wijdenbosch
Succeeded by	Dési Bouterse
In office 16 September 1991 – 15 September 1996
Vice President	Jules Ajodhia
Preceded by	Johan Kraag
Succeeded by	Jules Wijdenbosch

Personal details
Born	Ronald Runaldo Venetiaan (1936-06-18)18 June 1936 Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana
Died	5 November 2025(2025-11-05) (aged 89) Paramaribo, Suriname
Political party	National Party
Spouse	Liesbeth Vanenburg (m. 1966)
Children	4

Ronald Runaldo Venetiaan (born 18 June 1936, passed away 5 November 2025) was an important politician from Suriname. He served as the country's sixth President.

Ronald Venetiaan: A Leader for Suriname
See also

Ronald Venetiaan: A Leader for Suriname

Early Life and Education

Ronald Venetiaan was born in Paramaribo, Suriname, on 18 June 1936. When he was 19, he traveled to the Netherlands to study at the University of Leiden. There, he focused on mathematics and physics. He finished his studies in 1964, earning a special degree called a doctorandus, which is like a master's degree. Soon after, he came back to Suriname and started working as a teacher, sharing his knowledge of math and physics.

Entering Politics

In 1973, Mr. Venetiaan became the Minister of Education for the National Party of Suriname (NPS). This meant he was in charge of schools and learning for the whole country. He worked with the government led by Henck Arron. However, in 1980, there was a big change in the government. After this change, Mr. Venetiaan chose to become a professor at the Anton de Kom University, teaching students there.

Becoming President

Mr. Venetiaan returned to politics in 1987. He became the leader, or Chairman, of the NPS. He also served again as the Minister of Education. In 1991, he ran to become the President for the first time. He won the election and served as President until 1996. After that, he lost the election to Jules Wijdenbosch.

But Mr. Venetiaan ran for President again in the year 2000. This time, he won back his old job as President. He was supported by a group called the New Front. He won with a large number of votes in the Parliament. He was elected for a third time in 2005, and he finished that term in 2010.

In 2012, Mr. Venetiaan decided to step down as the leader of the NPS. He passed the leadership to Gregory Rusland. The next year, in 2013, he officially retired from politics. He said it was time for younger people to take charge and lead the country.

A Life Beyond Politics

Beyond his political career, Ronald Venetiaan was also a talented mathematician and a writer. He enjoyed writing poetry. He sometimes used different names, called pseudonyms, for his writings. For example, he used "Vene" for his first poetry book, Mamio, in 1962. He also used "Krumanty" for other works.

Many of his writings were not published as books. However, some of his works were performed in theatre plays. He also worked with Chan Santokhi on a book in 2020 called We gaan Suriname redden, which means "We are going to save Suriname."

Mr. Venetiaan was married to Liesbeth Vanenburg. They had four children together: three daughters and one son. Ronald Venetiaan passed away in Paramaribo on 5 November 2025, when he was 89 years old.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout his life, Ronald Venetiaan received many important awards and honors from Suriname and other countries. These awards recognized his hard work and dedication.

Suriname:
- Grand Cordon of the Honorary Order of the Yellow Star – 2020
- Grand Cordon of the Honorary Order of the Palm – 1991
- Commander of the Honorary Order of the Yellow Star – 1978