Haiti's 'Baby Doc' Quietly Departs Hotel

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Jan. 20, 2011
Haiti's 'Baby Doc' Quietly Departs Hotel
Ex-dictator 'Baby Doc' Duvalier Surreptitiously Leaves Hotel; Next Destination Unclear

.(AP) PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Ex-dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier has surreptitiously left his hotel, avoiding dozens of journalists.

The former dictator known as "Baby Doc" quietly departed through a back entrance of the upscale Hotel Karibe, where he has been ensconced since his surprise return.

Duvalier slipped out the back of the hotel Thursday afternoon, while longtime companion Veronique Roy exited through the main entrance to a waiting car.

Duvalier's destination was unclear.

The ex-dictator was forced into French exile in 1986 following a popular uprising against his government, which was widely believed to be brutal and corrupt.



Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/20/ap/latinamerica/main7265899.shtml

[EFerrari]

1. Something is afoot today.

Last night PJ was tweeting against Aristide and today Rice tweeting election must be resolved.

[Catherina]

3. JC's spokesperson has already put out the word that JC would

graciously accept being President of Haiti again. :puke:

[molly77]

4. Democracy Now is saying that our installed puppet

got too big for his britches. Wanted to do something for the people.(my phrasing) The US probably was testing the waters to see if Haiti would go back to the baby doc.Only south american dictators win favor from our state dept.

[EFerrari]

5. Yes. The "donors" of the IHRC were asking who had a plane

to give him retirement a la Aristide.

[Fuddnik]

2. I hope he's headed for that other French tropical resort.

Devil's Island.

Give the murderous bastard a quick ride on that old contraption.

[peacetalksforall]

6. Forgive my sarcasm when it comes to the US and Haiti - but he is probably

now residing at the American Embassy.

[EFerrari]

7. Or the French one.

I think something will go down and be buried before the weekend. Let's see what happens.

[rabs]

8. Flurry of rumors continue

-- that Baby Doc has been hospitalized (said to be suffering from diabetes). He was reported to have looked ill and trembling when he left the Interior Ministry after being questioned for four hours yesterday.

-- that he has taken up residency at a supporter's private home. Yesterday it was said that his supporters were looking to buy a home for him.

-- German news agency DPA reporting that he changed hotels because of the horde of journalists at the one where he has been staying.

-- that he is in the French Embassy

-- wild one, that he has escaped to the Dominican Republic.

-- more accusations filed yesterday, that he committed crimes against humanity and that he sold "slaves" to work in the Dominican Republic.

In short, no one knows for sure why he returned, what his intentions are, and what is going to happen next.

We need a wikileaker for the cables that are sure to be flying between the U.S. Embassy and State :-)

[EFerrari]

9. I read that the DR quietly put troops at their border when BD arrived

in Haiti.

Interesting times.

[rabs]

10. State tells U.S. citizens to stay out of Haiti

Dire travel warning was issued today. Dangers include becoming a victim of crime, of catching cholera, of getting caught in violent riots, lack of medical attention and no police protection to speak of and to make sure of evacution measures if necessary.

Looks like the U.S./French client state is getting out of hand.

-----------------------------------

Travel Warning
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Print Email Haiti
January 20, 2011
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of traveling to Haiti and strongly urges avoiding all but essential travel. This notice replaces the Travel Warning dated December 9, 2010 to reflect the critical crime level, cholera outbreak, frequent and violent disturbances in Port-au-Prince and in provincial cities, lack of adequate medical facilities, and limited police protection.

The Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to Haiti unless essential and only if travel is fully supported by organizations with solid infrastructure, evacuation options, and medical support systems in place. U.S. citizens traveling to Haiti without such support have found themselves in danger in the past.

more

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5239.html

[EFerrari]

11. I commented before that they will try to "urge" Sean Penn to leave.

Although, he may have already handed over his job but his org is still active.

Witnesses.

[sabrina 1]

16. So the old and new Colonial powers have utterly failed

once again to restore any kind of decent society in Haiti.

I think they should leave now, and let South American countries take over.

S. America might do what should have been done long ago which is to stop the thugs and death squads from operating any longer in that country. We couldn't do that because they are our guys.

What happened to all the money that was collected for the people there? Who is handling it?

As for the dictator Baby Doc, as someone said recently there is no way he could have left France and flown to Haiti without the French Govt. and probably the U.S., knowing about it.

My guess is that the Colonialists are looking for a 'strongman' to take over and thought that one with experience might work.

I really hope the entire civilized world joins forces to make sure that that doesn't happen.

Bring back Aristede, although I would worry about him surviving if he did come back.

[Bacchus39]

17. "...and let South American countries takeover."

why not have the "colonial" powers leave and let Haitians take over??

and Brazil is leading the UN effort there.

[sabrina 1]

18. Yes, of course Haitians should take over. But they do need

help to rebuild and several S. American nations are willing to help them do that. The U.S. has caused nothing but suffering to the people of Haiti, as well as the French and the rest of the old European powers. It's time for them to leave. I don't know how much worse they can make it for those people, but our fondness for Dictators ensures that nothing good will come of our presence there. It never has.

[Bacchus39]

21. ok, well I don't necessarily disagree, just doubt that it would happen

sure, the US and France and whoever else can leave and let the South American take over. if they want it. I wouldn't be too optimistic on the results though frankly

[peacetalksforall]

28. I remember the stories of massacres along the DR border when the US, France, World Bank, IMF went

in to conduct the Aristede regime change.

I remember mention of the killers on the border being the old Tonton Maquete - which was virtually the Duvalier Blackwater.

I haven't been able to figure it out but something is being planned for Haiti and I have a feeling I am going to weep.

[peacetalksforall]

26. That sounds like a clearing out for something. I'm very afraid for the people and I am not happy

about wanting to be Democrat. I hope I am wrong.

[Bacchus39]

27. do you think alot of Americans are planning on vacationing there?

State Department travel warnings are quite common. numerous countries have these warnings. informing the citizenry that Haiti might not the best place to be at the moment doesn't sound particularly nefarious.

[DeSwiss]

12. K&R

Doc or no Doc, we're only interested in Haiti http://open.salon.com/blog/ezili_danto/2009/10/13/oil_in_haiti_-_economic_reasons_for_the_unus_occupation">for one thing.


- And after we've gotten what we wanted, we'll be outta there......

[rabs]

15. Thank you for that very interesting link

the oil reserves, deepwater ports, possible refineries shed much needed light.

[DeSwiss]

22. De nada. ;-) n/t

[The abyss]

13. Thanks to all for these updates!

[Catherina]

14. State Dept asked about the return of Duvalier, asked about the return of Aristide

...

Haiti's infamous dictator "Baby Doc" Duvalier, returned to his country this week, while the country's first elected President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, is kept out. These two facts really say everything about Washington's policy toward Haiti, and our government's respect for democracy in that country and in the region.

Asked about the return of Duvalier, who had thousands tortured and murdered under his dictatorship, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said, "this is a matter for the Government of Haiti and the people of Haiti."

But when asked about Aristide returning, he said "Haiti does not need, at this point, any more burdens."

Wikileaks cables released in the last week show that Washington put pressure on Brazil, which is heading up the United Nations forces that are occupying Haiti, not only to keep Aristide out of the country but to keep him from having any political influence from exile.

Who is this dangerous man that Washington fears so much? Here is how the Washington Post editorial board described Aristide's first term, back in 1996:

Elected overwhelmingly, ousted by a coup and reseated by American troops, the populist ex-priest abolished the repressive army, virtually ended human rights violations, mostly kept his promise to promote reconciliation, ran ragged but fair elections and, though he had the popular support to ignore it, honored his pledge to step down at the end of his term. A formidable record.

That was before the Post editorial board became neo-conservative, and most importantly before Washington launched its campaign to oust Aristide a second time. Together with its international allies, especially Canada and France, they cut off almost all foreign aid to the country after 2000. At the same time they poured in tens of millions of dollars - to build up an opposition movement. With control over most of the media, and the help of armed thugs, convicted murderers, and former death squad leaders, the broken and impoverished government was toppled in February of 2004.

...

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/01/20/1825636/blocking-aristides-return-to-haiti.html

[lonestarnot]

19. Very interesting.

[rabs]

20. Baby Doc slips out of Haiti hotel to private home

By JONATHAN M. KATZ, Associated Press Jonathan M. Katz, Associated Press – 39 mins ago

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Former dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier slipped out the back of his hotel Thursday and was driven to a private home on a mountain above Haiti's capital, in the latest unexpected twist in his surprise return to the country that kicked him out nearly 25 years ago.

Duvalier, who faces a court investigation in Haiti, had a flight booked to leave the country in the morning along with his entourage. But as the day wore on it became clear the ex-"president for life," who is 59 and showing signs of ailing health, wasn't going anywhere.

The reasons for his prolonged stay remain as murky as his motivation for coming back in the first place, but advisers and confidants cite two primary motivations: the lack of a valid passport and the ongoing court investigation against him on allegations of corruption and human-rights abuses from his reign.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110121/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_ex_dictator_returns

[Ter]

23. Dictators get the coolest names

Baby Doc may take the cake.

[Judi Lynn]

24. NYTimes, new slant: Some See a Cash Motive in Duvalier’s Return

Some See a Cash Motive in Duvalier’s Return
By GINGER THOMPSON
Published: January 20, 2011

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — When Jean-Claude Duvalier suddenly emerged from exile last weekend, saying he was here “to help” his devastated homeland, fears immediately spread across the country that the former dictator had come to stake a new claim to power. But Mr. Duvalier’s risky return home from France may have been driven by another motivation: money.

Though Mr. Duvalier has long been accused of looting $300 million from Haiti before fleeing nearly 25 years ago, his lawyers and friends have said that much of his money was squandered on a lavish lifestyle of jewelry, chateaus, fancy cars and a very expensive divorce from his ex-wife.

Just this week, one of Mr. Duvalier’s lawyers said that when his client was hauled before a Haitian court and asked how he supported himself, Mr. Duvalier responded: “With the help of friends.”

But about $6 million still sits frozen in an account in Switzerland, and Mr. Duvalier has publicly vowed to make every effort to get it. Haitian officials, human rights advocates and political analysts believe that Mr. Duvalier came back to the country last weekend for the sole purpose of making an end run around a new law that will make it harder for him to do that.

More:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/world/americas/21haiti.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

[Blue_Tires]

25. thanks for this...