On December 22, 1990, Dési Bouterse resigned as commander of the army, because of the growing disagreement between him and President Ramsewak Shankar. Bouterse was against Shankar's policy to develop relations with the Dutch government. He also felt that Shankar did not defend him enough, when he was blocked at the Schiphol Airport by the Dutch police as he tried to speak to the present Surinamese people. Graanoogst replaced him as commander of the army. Two days after Bouterse's resignation, Shankar's government was overthrown in a military coup by Graanoogst and Bouterse, known as the Telephone Coup. Graanoogst ruled temporarily for five days, up to 29 December 1990, when the National Military Council decided to hand over power to Johan Kraag.