Robert Fatton on Jean-Bertrand Aristide
On this edition of How We Got Here, political scientist Robert Fatton of the University of Virginia helps us understand Jean-Bertrand Aristide's place in Haitian politics and history. Ever since former dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier returned to Haiti in January there's been speculation that former President Aristide would return as well. His lawyer even flew to Port au Prince to collect a passport for him. So far there's no sign of his return though, and it's clear the United States and the Haitian government would prefer him to stay away at least until Haitians have voted in presidential runoff elections on March 20th. But all the speculation got us thinking about Aristide again, and wondering about the historical currents that led to his overthrow and exile, not just once, but twice, in 1991 and again in 2004.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.