Haiti's Tyrannical Rulers Throughout History

The history of tyranny in Haiti began during the 17th century, when Spain relinquished the western area of Hispaniola Island to France. This area of the island was known as St. Dominique and would later be named Haiti.

The main economy of Haiti was the sugar industry and forestry. These products made this Caribbean colony one of the wealthiest. Its success depended upon the African, black slaves who worked the plantations.

Toussaint L'Ouverture, a native of Haiti and a slave, rallied almost 500,000 slaves to rebel against French domination. He revolted against the French government's reinstatement of slavery in its colonies. Toussaint and his followers defeated the French. One reason for the slave's success was the devastation of the French forces by yellow fever. L'Ouverture's revolt also deterred British and Spanish aid to France. The owners of the plantations fled in fear of their lives and by 1793, France outlawed slaver in its colonies. Toussaint L'Ouverture became the first Haitian governor.

In 1802, L'Ouverture once again faced the French army who attempted to re-occupy Haiti under the direction of Napoleon. He wanted to implement the plantations and slavery back into Haiti. L'Ouverture, who was highly intelligent, thwarted the attempts of Napoleon. By 1803, Napoleon declared Haiti free from French sovereignty if Toussaint stepped down as governor. Toussaint was convinced to meet with French delegates but was captured and brought to France. He was imprisoned and tortured. He died in the French prison in 1804.

Jean Jacques Dessalines who served as a lieutenant under L'Ouverture took on the responsibilities as governor of Haiti. France eventually disassociated itself from both Caribbean and American possessions. The Republic of Haiti was established. Haiti is now the oldest of all black republics in the world.

Dessalines was a cruel, insane tyrant who gave himself the title, Emperor of Haiti. He forced his own armies to march off the edge of cliffs to prove their loyalty to him. He also believed he could not be killed without silver bullets. He was proved wrong when he was assassinated by the French in 1806.

Henry Christophe became the next ruler of Haiti. He was a black man but did not harbor the racial hatred of Dessalines. The mulattos of northern Haiti wanted a ruler from their own region. In 1806, the mulattos formed an assembly that was to form a new government. They wrote a constitution that gave the president little power and the legislature the power. Petion was elected the head of the legislature. Christophe became a mere figurehead and Petion had all the power.

Christophe rejected this whole idea, gathered followers and marched into Port-au-Prince against Petion. Christophe was driven out of the region. He retreated and established his own community in Cap Henry. Christophe was crowned King Henry I of Haiti in 1811 and named earls, barons, and counts under him. He was a harsh leader but not brutal. Order was kept in the northern countryside under his reign.

Petion was more lenient in the south but the citizen's lives did not get any better. The people in northern Haiti prospered while the people in the south lived in poverty. Petion died in 1818 without naming a successor.

Boyer took over as ruler of Haiti in 1818 and ruled until 1843. In all that time, Boyer had few
accomplishments. The Haitian people still suffered from Petion's economic failures. Although, Boyer tried to enforce a Rural Code for production and exportation of crops, it failed. Illiteracy and poverty increased and no educational reforms were put into place.

Violent outbreaks against Boyer's government ensued and he left Haiti for Jamaica in 1843.

Riviere-Herard replaced Boyer and began a military state. Between the years of 1843 and 1915, the Haitian government was in the state of turmoil. According to James Leyburn, author of The Haitian People, "Of the twenty-two heads of state between 1843 and 1915, only one served out his prescribed term of office, three died while serving, one was blown up with his palace, one presumably poisoned, one hacked to pieces by a mob, one resigned. The other fourteen were deposed by revolution after incumbencies ranging in length from three months to twelve years."

Violence erupted in the streets of Haiti in 1915 when a violent mob dismembered General Vilbrun Guillaume Sam and dragged his parts through the streets. The United States took action and gained control of Port-au-Prince on July 18, 1915. The United States ruled Haiti for the next 19 years. The US left Haiti after the election of President Roosevelt.

Sternio Vincent was the President of Haiti from 1934 - 1941. He was assisted by The Garde which was an American trained military unit made up of Haitians. The Garde was assigned to keep order and support the president. Haiti remained stable during this time, however, Vincent ruled only for his own benefit and the benefit of corrupt military officers. He censored the press and abused anyone who opposed him.

Elie Lescot, Franck Lavaud, Dumarsais Estime and Paul Eugene Magloire were all Haitian presidents that were overthrown from 1941 to 1956. This was a time of upheaval and chaos for the Haitian people. In 1957, a presidential election took place and Duvalier, a medical doctor who was seen as honest and fair won the election.

Francois Duvalier took office as president of Haiti in 1957. He wrote a new constitution and proceeded to violate it within four years. He established his own Presidential Guard which became an elite Haitian army whose only role was to protect Duvalier's presidency.

Duvalier ruled by corruption, bribery, and extortion. He stole government funds and financially supported his supporters. Duvalier also exploited the people with their superstitions of voodoo. Because of his corruption and stealing American aid funds, the USA stopped sending aid to Haiti in 1962. Duvalier's reign of terror lasted until 1971. It is believed that over 30,000 Haitians were murdered for political reasons during his presidency. He named his son, Jean-Claude Duvalier as his successor.

Jean-Claude Duvalier had a nondescript first few years as the Haitian president. Most of the political decisions were made by the 19-year-old Duvalier's mother. He showed no interest in running the government whatsoever and lived a life of leisure and partying. The only interest he showed in politics was funding scams and embezzling government money. Through the years as president, his wealth grew to hundreds of millions of dollars. Most of this money he made through tobacco.

The failure of Jean-Claude to endorse health care and economic reform led to the health crisis of the African Swine Fever and AIDS during the '80s. The USA convinced Jean-Claude to kill all the Haitian pigs in fear of Swine Fever. The Haitian citizens resented the replacement of their pigs which required no care with American pigs that did need care and feed.

On February 7, 1986, Jean-Claude and Michele Duvalier left Haiti under duress. They left their country under the rule of the National Council of Government.

Jean-Bertrand Aristide was elected in 1990 as the Haitian president. He ran an orphanage for boys before he was elected. His ruling style was similar to L'Ouverture, whom he considered one of the early fighters for freedom. The U.S. promised to support him, but in 1990 he was sent from Haiti in exile. He returned to Haiti in 1994 with help from the United States. Aristide abolished the army in 1995, but this made him many enemies.

Aristide was elected for a second term as president, but Europe and America stopped their support of Haiti because of election malpractice. Aristide resorted to brutality and terrorism of those who did not support him. Although once a Catholic priest, he did nothing to aid the poverty and miserable conditions in Haiti.

When Aristide was elected, the Haitian people hoped for a new age without violence and terror. They were sorely disappointed.

Rene Preval was elected as president of Haiti on May 14, 2006, for his second term in office. He has implemented some economic reforms and the employment rate has risen since he took office in 1996. He is also investigating the military for human rights violations. Preval hoped to build a road system throughout Haiti to increase trade in the country.

With the recent earthquake tragedy that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, roads are the furthest thing from the people's minds. The president and his family escaped injury from the earthquake, hundreds of thousands of other Haitians were not so lucky. This natural disaster just adds to the misery the Haitian people have suffered for hundreds of years.