Monday, January 17, 2011

Twenty-five years after being toppled Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier in Haiti returns

Santo Domingo, correspondent - A quarter century after he was forced into exile by a popular revolt, the former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier returned to Port-au-Prince Sunday, January 16. The surprise return of "Baby Doc", who has long lived in exile on the Riviera, will further complicate the situation in Haiti.

Ravaged by a devastating earthquake a year ago, hit by a cholera epidemic, the country is plunged into a political crisis following elections marred by fraud in late November. In her off the plane, the former "president for life" 59 year old said to have returned "to help the Haitian people and to show his solidarity." Arrived with his French girlfriend Veronique Roy, he was greeted by hundreds of supporters massed outside the airport.

No authority had responded Sunday evening on his return. Three years ago, Mr. Duvalier had sent a message to several Haitian radio stations expressing his desire to return to Haiti and calling for "forgiveness for the Haitian people for the mistakes committed during his reign." President Rene Preval had replied that he should respond to justice for the murders of political opponents and the diversion of millions of dollars.

"Baby Doc" came to power in 1971 at the age of 19 years, the death of his father, the dictator Francois Duvalier. Nicknamed "Papa Doc" Duvalier created a militia, the Tontons Macoutes, who was a reign of terror. Thousands of opponents were tortured, murdered or forced into exile. Under pressure from U.S.

President Jimmy Carter, "Baby Doc" has softened the punishment and began a cautious liberalization. But the abuses continued Tontons Macoutes, corruption has spread and the marriage of Jean-Claude Duvalier with Michele Bennett, a wealthy mulatto, marked the end of the opening measures. The former presidential couple is accused of embezzling more than $ 100 million of public funds.

The remainder of those amounts, $ 6.2 million, invested in Swiss banks has been frozen by a court in Geneva in 2007. In February 2010, the Swiss court reversed its decision authorizing the Duvalier family to dispose of 4.6 million. The return of Jean-Claude Duvalier could precipitate that of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the former president in exile in South Africa since 2004.

The second round of elections to be held this Sunday, was postponed indefinitely after the violence and protests that followed the announcement of provisional results of the first round. The electoral council announced that the second round of presidential elections would be disputed by the lawyer and the colt Mirlande Manigat of President Preval, Jude Celestin, angering supporters of singer Michel Martelly, placed third.

An expert mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) has recommended to exclude Jude Celestin's second round in favor of Mr. Martelly. Neither President Preval nor the electoral council have not yet commented on this suggestion. While his term expires February 7, Mr. Preval has hinted he could stay at his post until next May.

Jean-Michel Caroit
Posted by Manlio Gandolfi at 7:06 AM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)