WILLEMSTAD - Minister Charles Cooper has had enough of the statements and threats made by Elvis de Andrade. This week, the two appeared in court, with Cooper demanding that De Andrade cease his defamatory, slanderous, and especially threatening remarks on Facebook. According to Cooper's lawyer, who is acting on behalf of Cooper in his private capacity, there is also an 'incitement to violence.'
De Andrade has accused the minister of corruption and sexual misconduct. Besides the defamatory and slanderous statements, De Andrade has also threatened to shoot Cooper. "De Andrade publicly stated that Cooper should be ready to use his weapon because he is going to war with Cooper." De Andrade posted a shooting target with bullet holes on social media.
De Andrade is a well-known figure in the Curaçao community. In 2021, he participated in the parliamentary elections with his political party Union i Progreso (UIP), which garnered 627 votes, not enough for a seat. He is also behind attempts to prosecute Suzy Römer and Steven Martina.
De Andrade is ‘playing with fire,’ argue the representatives on behalf of Cooper. By repeatedly telling the public that Cooper is a bad person who does not have Curaçao's best interests at heart, and lamenting that the Public Prosecutor's Office does nothing about it, ‘he implicitly gives his followers permission to take matters into their own hands.’
Criminal Organization
Lawyer Henriquez, on behalf of his client Mr. Cooper, described him as a figure to be reckoned with because he comes from an organization with criminal antecedents, in this case, the political party MFK. Currently, he is considered one of the "high-ranking members" within the party and was prominently involved in the Schotte cabinet.
"MFK is a criminal organization because it is well-known how Gerrit Schotte, Jacintha Constancia, and George Jamaloodin have been convicted of crimes. MFK aimed to win the last elections, so there is a long list of matters that cannot withstand scrutiny."
Regarding Cooper, he currently has significant influence in the case of the dismissal of the financial director of FKP, the admission of Schotte and Garmes as consultants at FKP, and he was caught with 50,000 guilders in cash during a raid on his house, not to mention other issues. "Cooper has a lot to answer for," noted the lawyer.
The court will issue a ruling on June 12.