Status aparte

Status aparte (Latin for "separate state") refers to the special status of Aruba between 1986 and 2010 as a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, separate from the Netherlands Antilles to which it belonged until 1986.

With the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in October 2010, the term status aparte was no longer used, as the status of Aruba was no longer separate, but rather the norm for all countries within the Kingdom.

[1] Since the 1930s, the call for a greater degree of independence from Curaçao has been heard in Aruba.

It wasn't until the 1970s that the call became more apparent with Betico Croes starting a political party (MEP) and becoming the leader of the Status Aparte movement.

After years of negotiations, Croes managed to enforce the secession of Aruba from the Netherlands Antilles, as of January 1, 1986, on the condition however that Aruba would become independent ten years later, in 1996.