Jean-Bertrand Aristide

Jean-Bertrand Aristide   (politician, priest)
Born	15 July 1953)
Nationality	Haitian
Alma mater	University of Haiti, University of South Africa
Religion	Roman Catholic
Priest and politician who became Haiti's first democratically elected president. Ousted twice in U.S.-supported coups.  President of Haiti In office 4 February 2001 - 29 February 2004  President of Haiti In office 12 October 1994 - 7 February 1996 Ousted in another U.S.-supported military coup  President of Haiti In office 15 June 1993 - 12 May 1994  President of Haiti In office 7 February 1991 - 29 September 1991 Ousted in U.S.-supported military coup

Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Salesian priest and politician who became Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies to become a priest. He became a focal point for the pro-democracy movement first under Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier and then under the military transition regime which followed. He won the 1990–91 Haitian general election, with 67% of the vote. As a priest, he taught liberation theology and, as a president, he attempted to normalize Afro-Creole culture, including Vodou religion, in Haiti.

Aristide 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, and Aristide was allowed to return to Haiti to complete his term in office. He was president again from 1994 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2004. He was ousted in the U.S.-orchestrated 2004 coup d'état after right-wing ex-army paramilitary units invaded the country from across the Dominican border.

He was later put on a U.S. military plane and forced into exile in the Central African Republic and South Africa. He finally returned to Haiti in 2011 after seven years in exile.

Many thanks to our Patrons who cover ~2/3 of our hosting bill. Please join them if you can.