Former Haiti president ""Baby Doc" Duvalier dies
Haiti's former ruler Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier has died of a heart attack in the capital Port-au-Prince, reports quoting official sources say.
Duvalier was just 19 when in 1971 he inherited the title of "president-for-life" from his father, the notorious Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier.
He was accused of corruption, human rights abuses and repression in his rule, which ended in a 1986 uprising.
After years of exile in France, he returned to Haiti in 2011.
His death was announced by Haiti's health minister, and the ex-leader's attorney Reynold Georges confirmed he died at home on Saturday.
Human rights groups say hundreds of political prisoners were tortured or killed under his rule, and he was accused of massive corruption.
Like his father, he ruled with an iron fist, relying on a brutal militia known as the Tontons Macoutes to control the country.
In 1986, he was forced from power by a popular uprising and US diplomatic pressure, and went into exile in France.
He described his return to Haiti - a year after it was devastated by a major earthquake, as a gesture of solidarity to the nation.
In February 2013, he appeared in court in an emotionally charged hearing where he denied responsibility for abuses carried out during his time as president.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | November 7, 2020 3:23 AM
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Gotta admit I always thought his name was kinda adorable. Mitigated the whole ruthless butcher thing all in all.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | October 4, 2014 6:59 PM
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I heard they ran him out of Haiti!
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | October 4, 2014 7:09 PM
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Why the hell did they ever let him return?
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | October 4, 2014 7:10 PM
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I was about to say, R3. How was he able to return and live there safely? It's appalling enough that France took him in. I guess Libya and Saudi Arabia had filled their quota of exiled despots.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | October 4, 2014 7:16 PM
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His wife was a piece of work -- the Imelda of Haiti.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | October 4, 2014 7:32 PM
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She divorced him years ago and took most of his money. Now lives in France. She was fun.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | October 4, 2014 7:54 PM
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Like his father, he ruled with an iron fist, relying on a brutal militia known as the Tontons Macoutes to control the country, [bold]and financial assistance from the CIA at the behest of the US corporate elite.[/bold]
Fixed.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | October 4, 2014 8:30 PM
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You don't throw a slave rebellion or any kind of rebellion without the constant punishment of the US government.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | October 4, 2014 8:38 PM
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Are we sure it wasn't the Ebola?
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | October 4, 2014 8:41 PM
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Carry on to other side
Have some fun on the other side
You were always drifting on your feet
Brother shoved me down the wrong way street
Since the day when you found your wings
Flew away to much better things
Now you'll never get the chance to see
What's been going on inside of me
Don't forget all the love I gave you on your way
Don't send flowers
Just give me some hours
Just a minute of your time
Really make it shine
So think it over
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | October 4, 2014 8:46 PM
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[quote]You don't throw a slave rebellion or any kind of rebellion without the constant punishment of the US government.
Or the French government. Haiti had to pay "reparations" to the government of France for over a century for income lost from the plantations in Haiti. It's one of the reasons Haiti is so underdeveloped and impoverished; they were paying off the French for the loss of its colony and slaves instead of developing infrastructure, etc. It wasn't until the 1940s that the debt was finally paid off. And then came the Duvaliers.
Can you imagine slaves' descendants paying taxes so the descendants of the O'Haras, Wilkes, and Kennedys?
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | October 4, 2014 9:16 PM
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Has he risen as a zombie yet??
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | October 5, 2014 6:40 PM
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I went to high school in Philadelphia with the daughter of one of his cabinet members. She was gorgeous. Sorta like Taraji P. Henson.
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | November 7, 2020 1:45 AM
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Wow, SIX years later! Thread bump! Fun fact: I went to Haiti as a tourist two years ago. Loved it
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | November 7, 2020 1:47 AM
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Thank you R3. I’m in my mid 30s and am only cognizant of this person from that Golden Girls punchline.
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | November 7, 2020 1:53 AM
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If this is going to come up again I at least need it to be introduced by Chevy Chase “Baby Doc is still dead!”
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | November 7, 2020 1:54 AM
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Is there a GrandBabyDoc???
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | November 7, 2020 2:07 AM
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R8, well actually the entire West.
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | November 7, 2020 3:18 AM
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I love this photo of Michēle looking unbothered and blasé as they fled the country.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | November 7, 2020 3:23 AM
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