Jean-Bertrand Aristide

Haitian priest and politician Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the first elected president in 1991, spent most of his term in the United States; troops restored him to power in 1994, and he served until 1996 and from 2001 to 2004 before a civil rebellion forced him once again into exile.

The college Notre Dame in Cap-Haïtien educated him and graduated him with honors in 1974. After a novitiate in la Vega, Dominican Republic, he returned to study psychology at the university and philosophy at the Grand Seminaire Notre Dame. He completed postgraduate work in 1979 and studied in Italy and Israel.

He returned in 1983 for Salesian ordination, and people appointed him a parish curate in Port-au-Prince and then the slums of la Saline; he gained an affectionate nickname of "Titide" or "Titid" in Haitian Creole. A liberation theologian, he led in the progressive wing of the "little" church and broadcast sermons on Catholic radio. Violence occurred across the nation in 1987.

In an interview of January 1988 with national Catholic reporter interview, he said, "The solution is revolution, first in the spirit of the Gospel; Jesus could not accept people going hungry. It is a conflict between classes, rich and poor. My role is to preach and organize." The Salesians expelled Father Aristide in 1988. They described his activities as an "incitement to hatred and violence."

People cautiously approached 1990. Aristide announced his candidacy. He during a six-week campaign dubbed his followers the "Front National pour le Changement et la Démocratie" and won with 67% of the vote. Taking office on 7 January 1991, he broke from Front National pour le Changement et la Démocratie and created the Organisation Politique Lavalas, Hatian Creole for "flood political organization." René Préval, prime minister, led government, and the Front National pour le Changement et la Démocratie controlled parliament; government failed a confidence vote on on 30 September 1991, so he afterward attempted to rule alone. The army performed a coup. People deposed him on 29 September 1991.

In accordance with article 149 of the constitution, people installed Joseph Nérette, justice of superior court, as Provisoire to hold a choice within 90 days. People scheduled new government, but pressure resulted in cancellation. Raoul Cédras, commander of Army, held real authority. Later, under international pressure, the military regime backed with foreign deployment.

On 15 October 1994, he returned to complete.

Leaving in 1994 enabled him to marry Mildred Trouillot, citizen, in 1995. They parented two daughters. He ended in February 1996. The constitution allowed no consecutive service. People disputed whether to count earlier years or the three years that he lost. People decided instead to count strictly according to the date of inauguration. René Préval, an ally, ran during the 1995 and took 88% of the vote. One-quarter participated.

In late 1996, he broke from the Organisation Politique Lavalas over its "distance from the people" and created a new party, the Fanmi Lavalas. The Organisation Politique Lavalas held the majority in the senate and the chamber of deputies, and people renamed it the Organisation du Peuple en Lutte to maintain the acronym.

Fanmi Lavalas won the legislature in 2000. Cable News Network watch reported a turnout of three-fifths, and more than 92% voted for Aristide. His party implemented reforms under his leadership. These reforms included increase in access to healthcare and education and adult literacy, protection for those accused of crimes, improvement of judicial training, prohibition of human trafficking, disband of the military, creation of a police, establishment of rights and freedoms, doubling of minimum wage, institution of land reform, assistance of small farms, provision of boat construction training, establishment of a low-cost food distribution network belo