The Democratic Revolution in Haiti
1988; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 15; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1177/0094582x8801500305
ISSN1552-678X
AutoresGérard Pierre-Charles, Margaret Low,
Tópico(s)Caribbean and African Literature and Culture
ResumoSince the popular protests that led to the flight of Jean-Claude Duvalier, Haiti has been the scene of important social and political confrontations. On one hand, the forces of the ancien regime, allied with the military and the National Government Council (CNG), are trying to conserve the status quo; on the other hand, almost every other social group in Haiti is demanding de-Duvalierization and democracy. This state of conflict has prevailed in Haiti since February 7, 1986. Little impact was felt, however, at the international level until the bloody events that accompanied the elections that were first scheduled for and then brutally canceled on November 29, 1987. These events received worldwide attention and resulted in greater awareness of the situation in Haiti, since they took place in the context of a display of violence that was covered by dozens of journalists who witnessed the machine-gunning of the electoral offices in Port-au-Prince by armed civilians and soldiers in civilian attire. The result was 34 deaths and dozens of injuries. Thus the methods of Duvalierism, as well as its character, were exposed for all to see. It is an authoritarian project of the military, the heirs of the dictatorship, which belies their commitment at the national and international level to assuring the democratic transition and bringing free elections to the country. In order to understand these events and the contradictions between the promises of those that govern and their fascistic actions, as well as between the people and the military government, it is necessary to look
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