Jean-Bertrand Aristide

Jean-Bertrand Aristide (born 15 July 1953) is a Haitian priest and politician. He became Haiti's first democratically elected President.[1][2]


Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide (cropped).jpg
Aristide on 15 October 1994
37th & 39th President of Haiti
In office
7 February 1991 – 29 September 1991
Prime MinisterRené Préval
Preceded byErtha Pascal-Trouillot
Succeeded byRaoul Cédras
In office
15 June 1993 – 12 May 1994
Prime MinisterRobert Malval
Preceded byMarc Bazin
Succeeded byÉmile Jonassaint
In office
12 October 1994 – 7 February 1996
Prime MinisterSmarck Michel
Claudette Werleigh
Preceded byÉmile Jonassaint
Succeeded byRené Préval
In office
4 February 2001 – 29 February 2004
Prime MinisterJean Marie Chérestal
Yvon Neptune
Preceded byRené Préval
Succeeded byBoniface Alexandre
Personal details
Born (1953-07-15) 15 July 1953 (age 71)
Port-Salut, Sud, Haiti
Political partyLavalas Political Organization
(1991–96)
Fanmi Lavalas
(1996–present)
Spouse(s)
Children2 daughters
Alma materCollège Notre-Dame
State University of Haiti
University of South Africa
OccupationPriest
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Church Roman Catholic Church
Ordained 1982
Congregations served Salesians of Don Bosco

Aristide was appointed to a Roman Catholic parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies to become a priest of the Salesian order.

He won the Haitian general election between 1990 and 1991, with 67% of the vote and was briefly president of Haiti, until a September 1991 military coup. The coup regime collapsed in 1994 under U.S. pressure and threat of force (Operation Uphold Democracy).

Aristide was then president again from 1994 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2004. However, Aristide was ousted in the 2004 coup d'état.[3] Aristide was later forced into exile, staying in the Central African Republic, Jamaica, and South Africa.[4]

He finally returned to Haiti in 2011 after seven years in exile.[5]

Jean-Bertrand Aristide Media

References

  1. Military ousts Haiti's leader, claims power President Aristide en route to France; fighting kills 26. 1 October 1991. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-7679593.html. 
  2. "Haiti: The impact of the 1991 coup". International Journal of Refugee Law. June 1992.
  3. Aristide says U.S. deposed him in 'coup d'etat'. CNN. 2 March 2004. http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/03/01/aristide.claim/. Retrieved 6 May 2010. 
  4. Dixon, Robyn (2004-06-01). "South Africa Welcomes Aristide With Open Arms and Wallet". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
  5. Randal C. Archibold (18 March 2011). Just Days Before Election, Aristide Returns to Cheers and Uncertainty in Haiti. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/world/americas/19haiti.html?pagewanted=1.