Nina den Heyer prepares political comeback in Bonaire with new party ANIMO

KRALENDIJK – Nina den Heyer, one of Bonaire’s most recognizable political figures, is preparing a formal return to politics with a party of her own. ANIMO, according to information obtained by Noticiacla, is expected to be officially launched in September.

Its arrival could introduce a new factor into Bonaire’s political landscape ahead of the Island Council elections scheduled for March 2027.

Den Heyer is hardly a newcomer to the electorate. For years, she was among the island’s more prominent figures in politics and the social sector, serving several terms as island commissioner and building a substantial personal following among voters.

According to information available to Noticiacla, preparations are underway at ANIMO’s headquarters in Tera Kora ahead of the September launch.

The move suggests that Den Heyer, after stepping away from active party politics and later returning to government as an independent commissioner, is now ready to put her political vision directly before voters under her own banner.

FROM MPB TO A PARTY OF HER OWN

Den Heyer entered party politics through Movementu di Pueblo Boneriano (MPB). She previously said she joined the party in 2013, seeking political renewal on Bonaire following the constitutional changes of October 10, 2010.

In May 2016, she became an island commissioner, with a portfolio that included social affairs, education, youth, culture and public health.

Her strongest electoral performance came three years later.

MORE THAN 1,000 PREFERENCE VOTES

In the 2019 Island Council election, Den Heyer was number two on the MPB list but received 1,082 preference votes — more than any other candidate.

She significantly outpolled MPB leader Elvis Tjin-Asjoe, who received 629 votes.

The result established Den Heyer as one of Bonaire’s strongest personal vote-getters at the time and demonstrated that her political appeal extended beyond her position on the party list.

That popularity was also reflected outside the ballot box. In a public survey conducted in 2020, Den Heyer received the highest assessment among the island commissioners evaluated, with an average score of 6.9.

Respondents described her, among other things, as authentic, although some also argued that she needed to act more decisively and independently.

A DEPARTURE THAT DID NOT LAST

In 2022, Den Heyer announced that she was leaving active politics.

She subsequently became head of OCW Caribbean Netherlands. By then, she had already accumulated considerable experience in public administration, including as deputy head of Social Affairs and Employment at the Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland.

But her departure from politics proved temporary.

In November 2023, Den Heyer returned to the Executive Council formed by PDB, M21 and Fractie Vrolijk. This time she joined as an independent professional commissioner rather than as a formal representative of a political party. Her portfolio covered Society and Care.

That chapter ended in July 2025, when Den Heyer and fellow commissioner Anjelica Cicilia resigned with immediate effect. Their departure prompted questions about political stability on Bonaire and was officially confirmed by the island government on July 26.

Throughout her years in public office, Den Heyer developed a profile centered largely on social policy. Poverty, care for older residents and vulnerable groups, as well as culture and the Papiamento language, became recurring themes in her public work.

CAN PERSONAL POPULARITY BECOME A PARTY?

That history makes the launch of ANIMO politically significant.

The central question is no longer whether Den Heyer herself can attract votes. She has already shown that she can.

The question is whether that personal support can be converted into a durable political movement with its own candidates, organization and identity.

Critics may ask whether ANIMO is genuinely a new political movement or primarily an electoral vehicle built around Den Heyer’s name and popularity.

Supporters may see precisely the opposite: an opportunity for an experienced politician and former administrator to operate with greater independence than she could within an established party.

Either way, ANIMO’s entry has the potential to alter political calculations ahead of the 2027 election.

Den Heyer once demonstrated that more than a thousand voters were prepared to support her personally.

Now, with a party of her own, she will have to show whether that support is still there — and whether she can turn it into something larger.

The first real indication will come in September, when ANIMO is expected to formally present itself to Bonaire.