The coup was carried out by the acting commander-in-chief of the Suriname National Army (SNL), Police Chief Ivan Graanoogst.

Bouterse started to rule Suriname like a dictator, heading the National Military Council (promoting himself to Lieutenant Colonel, the highest rank in the SNL).

He dissolved the National Assembly, suspended the constitution, imposed a state of emergency in the country, and created a special tribunal that considered the cases of members of the previous government.

The presidential election, held on 25 January 1988, was won by Ramsewak Shankar,[2] who was disliked by the SNL, and Henck Arron, who was overthrown during the 1980 coup, was appointed prime minister.

[3] On 24 December 1990, around midnight Suriname Time (UTC−03:00), Graanoogst told President Shankar by telephone that he was being deposed and that he and his government "had better stay home.