Algeria: embarrassed authorities and hostile citizens after Bouteflika's death

The death of former Algerian President Adbelaziz Bouteflika, ousted from power in April 2019 by protests by the pro-democracy movement Hirak, drew little comment in Algiers on Saturday, both in the media and in the streets, apart from a some palpable resentment.

Mr. Bouteflika, who remained at the head of Algeria for 20 years (1999-2019), a record for longevity in this country, died on Friday at the age of 84, two and a half years after his spectacular departure from power.

Read also Algeria: former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is dead

Omnipresent for decades but become almost invisible since a stroke in 2013, Mr. Bouteflika had given no sign of life since the street and the army forced him to resign on April 2, 2019 .

Flags at half mast

The authorities, silent until late Saturday morning, announced that the flags would be half mast "

for three days

" from Saturday.

This was decided by President Abdelmajid Tebboune, after "

the death of the former president the Moudjahid (independence fighter, editor's note) Abdelaziz Bouteflika

", according to a press release from the presidency.

Read also Algeria: Abdelaziz Bouteflika, died in oblivion but spared by justice

During the night, the presidency was satisfied with a terse press release announcing the death of Mr. Bouteflika, born March 2, 1937, "

at his place of residence

".

Saturday morning, radios and televisions still stuck to a brief, without devoting a special program to it.

The radios broadcast music and entertainment like a normal weekend.

Information was also absent from almost all the print editions of the newspapers, the news having been announced after their closure.

But some, such as the government daily El Moudjahid, reported it in a snippet in their electronic edition.

Read also Algeria: the key dates of the presidency of Abdelaziz Bouteflika

The date and place of his burial have not yet been officially announced.

But according to the generally well-informed site in Arabic Sabqpress, Mr. Bouteflika will be buried on Sunday at the square of the martyrs of the cemetery of El-Alia, in the east of Algiers.

This is where all his predecessors rest, alongside the great figures and martyrs of the War of Independence (1954-1962).

Acrimonious comments

In the streets, Algerians were not indifferent to the death of the ousted president, greeted by a flood of acrimonious comments.

“

Peace to his soul.

But he does not deserve any tribute because he has done absolutely nothing for the country,

”says AFP Rabah, a fruit and vegetable merchant in El Achour, on the heights of the capital.

Read alsoHow Abdelaziz Bouteflika was dropped by his last supporters

For Malek, a telecommunications employee, Mr. Bouteflika "

has been unable to reform the country despite his long reign

" at the head of Algeria.

“

He was entitled to a golden life, including since he was ousted from power.

But it is clear that his heritage is not the brightest,

”says Mohamed, a 46-year-old carpenter.

Others believe, on the contrary, that "

the country improved when he became president

", in allusion to the reconciliation process after the black decade, told AFP TV Amer, a diver in a restaurant.

"

He was received in any country in the world,

" added the 46-year-old man, referring to his past as the former head of diplomacy of Ahmed Ben Bella and Houari Boumédienne.

Mustapha, a 19-year-old high school student in the district of Biskra, who only knew him as president, believes that he "

brought positive things

".

Read also Abdelaziz Bouteflika, a worn-out president, flabbergasted by popular mobilization

Since his spectacular fall in April 2019 under pressure from the army and the street, the one Algerians colloquially called "

Boutef

" had locked himself in the solitude of his

nursing

home in Zeralda, where he continued to enjoy everyone. privileges, according to media reports.

According to this news site, Mr. Bouteflika died in Zeralda, surrounded by his sister Zhor, his brother Nacer and other members of his family.

Another of his brothers, Said, jailed on corruption charges, asked to attend the funeral, according to the Sabqpress website.