28 January to 6 February 1986 · Haitianspan
The Cap riots and Jean-Claude Duvalier packs his bags
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Jean-Claude Duvalier had ruled Haiti since 1971, when he inherited the presidency at nineteen from his father Francois. Trying to buy time in January 1986, he dismissed several hated officers and brought back others, and in doing so handed command of the units around the palace to men already working against him. Riots spread through Cayes, Jacmel, Leogane and the Goaves. His father had left him a saying: trouble in the capital can be beaten and trouble in Gonaives can be bought, but when Cap-Haitien rises, leave. On 28 January the army stood and watched a crowd at the Cap loot a warehouse and pull down a statue of Francois Duvalier. On 31 January the family drove to the airport, then turned back, and the president went on Radio Nationale to say he was standing firm, firmer than a monkey's tail. Six days later he told his prime minister he wanted to go that night. An American transport carried him and twenty two others to France.
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