Public Prosecutor Norman Serphos tells The Associated Press that lawmaker Helmin Wiels was killed Sunday at Marie Pompoen beach. He says witnesses reported seeing attackers shoot Wiels and then speed off in a car.
Wiels was the fiery leader of the Pueblo Soberano political party, which advocates for Curacao's independence. The island is a mostly autonomous "constituent country" of the Netherlands.
The pro-independence party led voting in October elections but holds only five of 21 seats in Parliament