“We believe that the economy should return to normal as soon as possible,” President Chan Santokhi said in a statement on Sunday, clarifying that the roads leading to the National Assembly and its cabinet offices will remain closed.
There will also be no classes and schools will only open their doors to teachers to organize their activities.
The government provides for a high police force. “It was decided to increase security. Patrols have increased on several highways in recent days,” he said.
After Friday’s riots to protest the high cost of living, most shops were closed over the weekend.
According to the official record, 119 people were arrested during the protests, but 45 have already been released and sent home. at least 74 remain behind bars.
Among those arrested is protest organizer Stephano “Pakittow” Biervliet.
In a statement, the activist distanced himself from the attempted attack on Parliament, saying it was perpetrated by “a group to which he did not belong”.
According to the same official record, 19 people were injured during the demonstration.
The UN said it was “concerned” by the unrest and violence.
“Freedom of expression and assembly” are “fundamental rights,” said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary-General António Guterres, in a statement.
However, the spokesman pointed out that the protests had to be conducted “without violence” and called for an “inclusive dialogue” between all actors.
Suriname, a small country in northeastern South America with 600,000 inhabitants, is in the midst of a severe economic crisis and ended the past year with inflation of 54.6%, according to the central bank. The former Dutch colony eagerly awaits the exploitation of the likely high oil reserves.
The government insists it must cut spending under the economic restructuring program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and has proposed tax reforms that include removing subsidies for electricity, water and petrol and a new sales tax.
This policy was sharply criticized by the opposition and the trade unions.
Suriname signed a $690 million deal with the IMF, but the funds were frozen for failing to meet required conditions.