Baby Doc’s Back

Sounds like a song title doesn’t it, but it’s not. It’s a reference to the nickname of Jean-Claude Duvalier, former dictator of Haiti, who has been in exile for over 20 years.

Jean-Claude Duvalier inherited the Presidency of Haiti from his father, Francois Duvalier, whose nickname was “Papa Doc.” He really started out as a doctor, but the elder Duvalier went on to become Haiti’s president in 1957, and continuing to rig elections, eventually was named “president for life” in 1964. His life and presidency ended in 1971. Upon Papa Doc’s death, his only son, 19 year old Jean-Claude took over the reins, becoming the world’s youngest president. Here he is on the gourde:

Baby Doc also called himself “president for life” but unlike his father, that was not to be.

Although he continued his father oppressive rule for 15 years with the help of the Tonton Macoute, Jean-Claude Duvalier was never as popular as his father. the Tonton Macoute were a feared secret police force who arrested and tortured political enemies of both Duvaliers, and also promoted the belief that they had the ability to capture people’s souls.

Baby Doc and his spendthrift wife, Michele, were driven into exile in 1986. They were refused entry into many countries, such as Greece and Morocco. France allowed them to stay there “temporarily,” but would not grant them political asylum. Baby Doc and his wife were originally reported to be living in grand style on the French Riviera, but they eventually divorced and he was reduced to living in relative poverty with his mother in the suburbs of Paris.

Why the 59-year-old former dictator has returned to visit Haiti is yet unknown.