# Sovereign People

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**Sovereign People** (Dutch: *Souverein Volk*, pap: *Pueblo Soberano*) is a [political party](/source/Political_party) in [Curaçao](/source/Cura%C3%A7ao) founded in 2005 by [Helmin Wiels](/source/Helmin_Wiels) and [Harold Willems](/source/Harold_Willems).[1] The party aims for complete independence of [Curaçao](/source/Cura%C3%A7ao) outside the [Kingdom of the Netherlands](/source/Kingdom_of_the_Netherlands).[2] In 2012 Wiels stated that Curaçao could become independent within 10 years.

In the [Curaçao 2010 elections](/source/2010_Cura%C3%A7ao_general_election), Pueblo Sobrerano won four seats[3] and became part of the governing coalition of the Cabinet [Schotte](/source/Gerrit_Schotte) on 10 October 2010. It became the largest party in the Estates of Curaçao after the [Curaçao general election of 2012](/source/2012_Cura%C3%A7ao_general_election).[4]

Pueblo Soberano was headed by [Helmin Wiels](/source/Helmin_Wiels)[1] until his murder in May 2013.[5] On 14 December 2015, [Jaime Córdoba](/source/Jaime_C%C3%B3rdoba_(politician)) was elected the new political leader of Pueblo Soberano and succeeded Helmin Wiels. He was the sole candidate in the party elections.[6] Córdoba was succeeded by [Ben Whiteman](/source/Ben_Whiteman) in October 2018.[7] Whiteman laid down his position in June 2025 due to health reasons.[8]

PS won two seats in the [2016](/source/2016_Cura%C3%A7ao_general_election) and 1 in the [2017](/source/2017_Cura%C3%A7ao_general_election) elections. After the [2021](/source/2021_Cura%C3%A7ao_general_election) elections the PS lost all seats.

The party opposes [same-sex marriage](/source/Same-sex_marriage).[9][10][11]

## Election results

Curaçao island council elections Year Leader Votes % Seats 2007 Helmin Wiels 5,494 7.38

Netherlands Antilles general elections Year Votes Seats 2006 Helmin Wiels 3,360 2010 10,789

Year Leader Votes +/– votes Seats +/– seats Government 2010 Helmin Wiels 13,886 (#3) 3 Coalition 2012 19,715 (#1) 5,829 1 Coalition 2016 Jaime Córdoba 5,323 (#6) 14,392 3 Opposition 2017 4,029 (#6) 1,294 1 Opposition 2021 Ben Whiteman 1,215 (#15) 2,814 1 Extra-parliamentary

## Netherlands Antilles

The party participated in the [Netherlands Antilles](/source/Netherlands_Antilles) general elections as well as those of the [Island council](/source/Island_council_(Netherlands_Antilles)) of Curaçao until the [dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles](/source/Dissolution_of_the_Netherlands_Antilles). The party held two seats of the 14-seat Curaçao constituency in the 22-seat [Estates of the Netherlands Antilles](/source/Estates_of_the_Netherlands_Antilles) in 2010,[12] (after obtaining no seats in 2006).[13]

The party won a single seat at the [island council](/source/Island_council_(Netherlands_Antilles)) elections in Curaçao in 2007.[14] At the 2010 elections, the party obtained 3 seats in the Island council, which became the estates of Curaçao on 10 October 2010.

## References

1. Leoni Leidel-Schenk (12 October 2012). ["Partijen aan het woord: Pueblo Soberano"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121014081449/http://www.versgeperst.com/nieuws/174458/partijen-aan-het-woord-pueblo-soberano.html) (in Dutch). Archived from [the original](http://www.versgeperst.com/nieuws/174458/partijen-aan-het-woord-pueblo-soberano.html) on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2012.

1. ["Pueblo Soberano Will Lead The Coalition"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121023001108/http://www.curacaochronicle.com/local/pueblo-soberano-will-lead-the-coalition/). *Curaçao Chronicle*. 20 October 2012. Archived from [the original](http://www.curacaochronicle.com/local/pueblo-soberano-will-lead-the-coalition/) on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2012.

1. ["Eilandsraadverkiezingen, 27 augustus 2010."](https://web.archive.org/web/20230601162908/http://www.kse.cw/eiland2010.html) (in Dutch). *Main Electoral Office, Curaçao (Conseho Supremo Elektoral)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.kse.cw/eiland2010.html) on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2012.

1. ["Pueblo Soberano Biggest Party After Elections 2012"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121101011809/http://www.curacaochronicle.com/local/pueblo-soberano-biggest-party-after-elections-2012/). *Curaçao Chronicle*. 19 October 2012. Archived from [the original](http://www.curacaochronicle.com/local/pueblo-soberano-biggest-party-after-elections-2012/) on 1 November 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2012.

1. ["Curacao politician assassinated"](http://rjrnewsonline.com/regional/curacao-politician-assassinated). *RJR News*. 6 May 2013.

1. ["Jaime Cordoba nieuwe leider Pueblo Soberano"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220705061056/http://www.dolfijnfm.com/jaime-cordoba-nieuwe-leider-pueblo-soberano/) (in Dutch). Dolfijn FM. 14 December 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.dolfijnfm.com/jaime-cordoba-nieuwe-leider-pueblo-soberano/) on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2015.

1. ["Ben Whiteman gekozen tot nieuwe leider Pueblo Soberano"](https://curacao.nu/ben-whiteman-gekozen-tot-nieuwe-leider-pueblo-soberano/) (in Dutch). *curacao.nu*. 8 October 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20231212173314/https://curacao.nu/ben-whiteman-gekozen-tot-nieuwe-leider-pueblo-soberano/) 12 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine.

1. Dick Drayer (4 June 2025). ["Whiteman stapt terug als leider Pueblo Soberano"](https://www.curacao.nu/nieuws/politiek-bestuur/53203/whiteman-stapt-terug-als-leider-pueblo-soberano) (in Dutch). curacao.nu. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20260109085806/https://www.curacao.nu/nieuws/politiek-bestuur/53203/whiteman-stapt-terug-als-leider-pueblo-soberano) 9 January 2026 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["Statenlid Jaime Cordoba: Pueblo Soberano zal als partij nooit voor een homohuwelijk stemmen"](https://paradisefm.cw/statenlid-jaime-cordoba-pueblo-soberano-zal-als-partij-nooit-voor-een-homohuwelijk-stemmen/) (in Dutch). *Paradise FM 103.1*. 2019-07-16. Retrieved 2021-05-10.

1. ["Homohuwelijk splijt politiek"](https://curacao.nu/homohuwelijk-splijt-politiek/) (in Dutch). *Curacao.nu*. 2019-07-17. Retrieved 2021-05-10.

1. ["Parlementariër vraagt kerkleiders om zich uit te spreken tegen Gaypride"](https://caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl/2013/09/26/parlementarier-vraagt-kerkleiders-om-zich-uit-te-spreken-tegen-gaypride/) (in Dutch). *caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl*. 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2021-05-10.

1. ["Totaaluitslag 2010"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210513162200/http://www.kse.cw/land2010.html) (in Dutch). *Main Electoral Office, Curaçao (Conseho Supremo Elektoral)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.kse.cw/land2010.html) on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2012.

1. ["Totaaluitslag 2006"](http://www.kse.cw/registrosivil/land2006/uitslag2006/index.html) (in Dutch). *Main Electoral Office, Curaçao (Conseho Supremo Elektoral)*. Retrieved 3 October 2012.

1. ["Eilandsraadverkiezingen, 2007."](https://web.archive.org/web/20230601162927/http://www.kse.cw/eiland2007.html) (in Dutch). *Main Electoral Office, Curaçao (Conseho Supremo Elektoral)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.kse.cw/eiland2007.html) on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2012.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sovereign People](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_People) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_People?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.