True. After all, this is Haiti, home of the zombie.
Come over here, I want you to have a talk with Silvio Berlusconi . . .
I don’t think so. I think the question is whether or not he still has relationship to the right people. And the answer would seem an obvious yes. Those who currently hold the real power are the ones profiting from the aid dollars. I’d wager they are largely his cronies from before ‘the troubles’, all too eager to return to protected status, I could imagine.
The biggest problem is that Baby Doc is loved by very few, but those who do love him have lots of guns. The Tonton Macoute elements still exist, and I am sure the drug traffickers and other lowlifes would love to cut a deal. I just can’t imagine that he was sent into exile without some penalty if he were to return. The government, such as it is, is almost forced to arrest him or they will court some real trouble.
I haven’t kept up with Haitian politics as well as I knew them in the nineties, but Rene Preval, the current president is a onetime associate of Jean Bertrand Aristide, who was no friend of the Duvaliers. They don’t seem like natural compatriots. Baby Doc’s wife is also a piece of work, so I am interested to see how this develops.
Well, at least America knows where it can export its most worthless and hated politicians where they will be welcomed with joy. Hell, we might be able to charge Haiti for it.
For some reason I find this interesting.
What do we know about Duvalier really? He’s been in France for 25 years. That’s a pretty long time. Maybe something bon rubbed off?
He lost most of his money when he divorced his evil hag of an ex-wife, but recently came into an additional $4 million.
According to the wiki article quoting Mac McClelland of Mother Jones:
I dunno. Could he be a changed man?
Perhaps.
But I can think of few things I’d be happier to bet against.
I… have a bad feeling about this. Friends, who have friends who have connections in Haiti, told me months ago that the official aid wasn’t getting to the people on the streets, except during photo ops. (Where have I seen that before?)
I had no idea that Baby Doc was still alive, and I thought the Tonton Macoute was just a bad memory.
Haven’t they suffered enough already?
Putin might be a better example - sure, he rigs elections like crazy, but he probably doesn’t need to in order to win.
Haiti cannot catch a break. I cannot believe that Baby Doc is up to any good.
What? Maybe he just wants to re-open his pediatric practice.
From what I read about Berlusconi, and what I I’ve heard about Putin in the news, both seem to do things that enrich themselves and consolidate power, but neither one seems to have massacred people or been too repressive. I mean, there’s oppression of the media, but I guess that doesn’t bother some people. Hell, they seem perfectly OK with it in Venezuela.
No. They made a deal with the Devil to free themselves from the French, they deserve whatever they get.
Come to think of it, though, of all the problems Haiti has had since 1825, none has greatly involved the French.
Hail Satan! 
Apparently he has now been duly apprehended by Haitian police.
And criminal complaints are forthcoming, although he hasn’t been officially arrested. I don’t know what the hell he was thinking in going back, but I hope his day in court comes soon.
He was probably thinking that his supporters would get him off the hook, and that a 25 year absence would soften people’s view of him.
Maybe he’s dying of cancer and really did miss his homeland.
He was probably right.
We’ll see.