Esther Bernabela

{{Short description|Politician from Bonaire}}

Esther Bernabela is a doctor and politician from Bonaire. She is an independent member of the Island Council of Bonaire.{{Cite book |last1=Gerring |first1=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dRzhDwAAQBAJ&dq=Esther+Bernabela&pg=PA393 |title=Population and Politics: The Impact of Scale |last2=Veenendaal |first2=Wouter |date=2020-05-28 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-49413-7 |language=en}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v9o6EAAAQBAJ&dq=Esther+Bernabela&pg=PT1392 |title=The International Directory of Government 2021 |date=2021-08-04 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-000-52137-5 |language=en}} In the 2017 election, Bernabela joined a coalition of elected members of the Bonaire Patriotic Union (UPB) and the Bonaire Democratic Party.{{Cite web |last=van den Heuvel |first=Gijs |date=2017-08-16 |title='Geen democratie, maar hypocrisie op Bonaire' {{!}} Caribisch Netwerk |url=https://caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl/2017/08/16/geen-democratie-maar-hypocrisie-op-bonaire/ |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl |language=nl}} This replaced the previous 2016 coalition that she was a member of.{{Cite web |date=2016-05-05 |title=Bonaire heeft nieuwe coalitie {{!}} Caribisch Netwerk |url=https://caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl/2016/05/05/bonaire-heeft-nieuwe-coalitie/ |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl |language=nl}} A former leader of the UPB, she declared herself an independent candidate in March 2016,{{Cite web |date=2016-05-03 |title=Bonaire: Bernabela a declara su mes 'independiente' na Bonaire |url=https://www.noticiacla.com/news/5864 |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=NoticiaCla}} and withdrew her support from the party in April.{{Cite web |date=2016-04-29 |title=Bonaire: UPB – PDB coalitie op de klippen |url=https://caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl/2016/04/29/bonaire-upb-pdb-coalitie-op-de-klippen/ |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl |language=nl}} However by 2021 she had re-joined the party.

In 2020 she spoke out against the rise in prostitution in Bonaire.{{Cite web |last=Irausquin |first=Romulo |title=Konsehal Esther Bernabela ta denunsiá: Mucha muhénan ta bini for di Kòrsou pa prostituí |url=https://extra.cw/konsehal-esther-bernabela-ta-denunsia-mucha-muhenan-ta-bini-for-di-korsou-pa-prostitui/ |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=EXTRA.CW |date=2 December 2020 |language=en-US}} She has previously worked for the International University School of Medicine.{{Cite web |title=International University School of Medicine (IUSOM) - CV & Publications of Dr. E.J. Bernabela: Bonaire Board Member |url=https://www.internationaluniversity-schoolofmedicine.org/CV_and_Publications_of_Board_of_Trustees_Member_Dr_EJ_Bernabela_at_IUSOM_Bonaire_Main_Campus.html |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=www.internationaluniversity-schoolofmedicine.org}}