Algeria buried Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the longest serving president of the North African country, in a cemetery for his independence heroes but without the honors given to the leaders who died before him.
Flags fly at half-mast in the country before burial on Sunday by Bouteflika, who died on Friday at the age of 84.
Without fanfare, in contrast to the previous presidential deaths, the state television announced that the bouteflika will be buried at El Alia Cemetery, in the east of the capital Algiers, where his predecessors and other independence fighters are buried.
Bouteflika will not receive the ceremony of the Algerian presidents who died before him, and there will be no eight-day official mourning period.
His once powerful brother Said, jailed for corruption charges, has been authorized to participate, his lawyer Salim Hadjouti told the Arab website SabqPress.
The announcement of Bouteflika’s death has provoked muted reactions in the former French colony, reflecting its absence from public view.
A statement from his successor, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, noted Bouteflika’s past as a fighter in the war for independence and said that flags would be at half-time for three days to honor him.
The former Strongman left office in April 2019 after being ousted by the military after weeks of street protests over his bid to run for a fifth presidential election.
He rose to power in 1999 on a wave of popular support as his amnesty offer to Islamist-armed fighters helped bring an end to a decade-long civil war.
On the streets of the capital Algiers, many residents told the AFP news agency that the once formidable president would not be missed.
“Bless his soul. But he deserves no homage because he has done nothing for the country,” said Rabah, a greengrocer.