Haitian politician and president (197186), born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the son of François (Papa Doc) Duvalier. After studying law at the university of Haiti he followed his father into politics, becoming known as Baby Doc. At the age of 20 he became president-for-life, ruling, as had his father, through a private army. In 1986, as a result of escalating anti-government demonstrations, he fled into exile in Grasse, France.
Jean-Claude Duvalier (nicknamed Bébé Doc or Baby Doc) (born July 3, 1951) succeeded his father, François "Papa Doc" Duvalier as the dictator of Haiti from his father's death in 1971 until his overthrow by a popular uprising in 1986.
Early life
He was born in Port-au-Prince, and was raised in an extremely isolated environment, never expressing any interest in politics or Haitian affairs. In April 1971, he assumed the presidency of Haiti at the age of 19 upon the death of his father, François Duvalier (nicknamed "Papa Doc"), becoming the world's youngest president. He initially resented the dynastic arrangement that had made him Haiti's leader, and he was content to leave substantive and administrative matters in the hands of his mother, Simone Ovid Duvalier, while he attended ceremonial functions and lived as a playboy.
Political and economic repression
By neglecting his role in government, Jean-Claude squandered a considerable amount of domestic and foreign goodwill and facilitated the dominance of Haitian affairs by a clique of hardline Duvalierist cronies who later became known as the dinosaurs. The public displayed more affection toward Jean-Claude than they had displayed for his more formidable father.
Jean-Claude limited his interest in government to various fraudulent schemes and to outright misappropriations of funds. Duvalier used this "nonfiscal account," established decades earlier, as a tobacco monopoly, but he later expanded it to include the proceeds from other government enterprises and used it as a slush fund for which no balance sheets were ever kept.
Marriage
Jean-Claude miscalculated the ramifications of his May 1980 wedding to Michèle Bennett, a mulatto divorcée who reportedly had had an infamous reputation as an oversexual Manhattan secretary. (François Duvalier had jailed her father, Ernest Bennett, for bad debts and other shady financial dealings.) Although Jean-Claude himself was light-skinned, his father's legacy of support for the black middle class and antipathy toward the established mulatto elite had enhanced the appeal of Duvalierism among the black majority of the population. The Duvalierists' spiritual leader, Jean-Claude's mother, Simone, was eventually expelled from Haiti, reportedly at the request of Michèle Bennett.
The extravagance of the couple's wedding, which cost an estimated US$3 million, further alienated the people.
Discontent and revolt
Widespread discontent began in March 1983, when Pope John Paul II visited Haiti.
A revolt began in the provinces two years later.
Jean-Claude responded with a 10 percent cut in staple food prices, the closing of independent radio stations, a cabinet reshuffle, and a crackdown by police and army units, but these moves failed to dampen the momentum of the popular uprising against the dynastic dictatorship.
In January 1986, the Reagan administration began to pressure Duvalier to renounce his rule and to leave Haiti. The United States rejected a request to provide asylum for Duvalier, but offered to assist with the dictator's departure. Duvalier had initially accepted on January 30, 1986 and the White House actually announced his departure.
At this point, Lieutenant General Henri Namphy and Colonel Williams Regala, along with others in the military, confronted the Duvaliers and demanded their departure.
Exile
The Duvaliers settled in France.
A private citizen, Jacques Samyn, sued to expel Duvalier as an illegal immigrant (the Duvaliers were never officially granted asylum in France).
Following the ouster of president Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February 2004, Duvalier announced his intention to return to Haiti.
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Preceded by: François Duvalier |
President of Haiti 1971-1986 |
Succeeded by: Henri Namphy |
Reference
Metz, Helen Chapin Dominican Republic and Haiti : Country Studies Federal Research Division, Library of Congress Washington, DC December 1989 ISBN 0-8444-1044-6
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