Aristide and Coup d'Etat

In December 1990, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a Catholic priest, won the presidential election with 67% of the vote. Aristide took office in February 1991, but was soon overthrown by the army. It is estimated that between 300 and 500 Haitians were killed in the days following the September coup, and 3,000 in the following three years.

The US imposed an economic embargo and diplomatic isolation of Haiti after Aristide's ouster. In June 1993 the UN levied an oil and arms embargo, bringing the Haitian military to the negotiating table and the country to its economic knees.

In 1994 the Clinton administration undertook the return of President Jean Bertrand Aristide to Haiti with 20,000 US troops. For the subsequent 16 years under Aristide, Haiti became the Caribbean’s largest cocaine trans shipment point. Politically sponsored terrorism included kidnapping and heavy weapons fire by the poorest street gangs. During these years the mass exodus amongst all classes continued.

Aristide legitimized voodoo as a religion in August 2003. He also renewed the Boukman pact rededicating the country to Satan. In June 2004, the UN declared Haiti one of the most dangerous countries in the world with more kidnappings than Columbia.

On February 29, 2004 coup d’etat again expressed the will of the people and Jean Bertrand Aristide was deposed. This time by popular uprising that threatened his life.