A brief history of Haiti

In 1492, the island of Haiti was discovered by the Spaniards, was named Hispaniola and began to be colonized (Columbus' expedition).

In 1697, after the conclusion of the Rijswijk Peace Treaty, the western part of the island came under French control. The central and eastern parts of the island called Santo Domingo (modern-day Dominican Republic) remained with Spain. The local population - the Indians - was destroyed, and its place was taken by the negro slaves imported from Africa. In 1789, the island was inhabited by 36 thousand whites, 28 thousand free mulattoes and about 500 thousand black slaves.

On January 1, 1804, as a result of a successful uprising, black Haitians formed an independent state led by J.-J. With dessaline. The rebels massacred almost the entire white population of the country, including women and children. The Mulattoes formed their own republic, led by Alexandre Petion. Power in Haiti was unstable, complicated by coups and dictatorships.

1825-France recognized the independence of Haiti, but in return imposed a huge indemnity on the young republic as compensation for the property lost by former slave owners as a result of the Haitian Revolution of 1804.

1915-1934-the occupation of Haiti by US troops, which left the mulatto elite in power.

In 1957, the former Minister of Health, the fighter against typhus Francois Duvalier, who later became a dictator, became president of Haiti. The mainstay of his power was the Tonton Macoutes. In 1971, his son Jean-Claude Duvalier succeeded him.

In 1986, the Duvalier clan regime was overthrown, and after a series of coups in early 1991, a democratic government led by the former priest Aristide came to power.

March 1987-A new Haitian Constitution is introduced, supported by an absolute majority of the population.

August 1991-the Chamber of Deputies announced a vote of no confidence in Aristide (83 votes were cast for the removal of Aristide from the post of president, 11 against). Already in September, a military coup took place in the country, and Jean-Bertrand Aristide was sent into exile. Under the 1987 Constitution, Chief Justice Joseph Neret became Acting President; elections were scheduled for December 1991, but they were blocked by the international community, and there was political instability in the Republic of Haiti until 1994.

 

1994-as a result of the US military intervention, Aristide was reinstated as president.

1995-dissolution of the army. The President relies on armed militias, one of which is the "Cannibal Army" led by the Metayar brothers.

In 2004, amid a political crisis, militants of the pro-government "Cannibal Army" mutinied in the town of Gonaive on February 4 and attacked a police station. The crisis continued in the country.
On February 14, the rebels are supported by the Voodoo armed groups FRAPH Chamblain (former Taunton Macoutes) and the militants of the former police Chief Philippe. A new American invasion followed in order to avoid mass bloodshed in the capital. On February 22, the rebels attacked Cap-Haitien, the local population welcomes them. On February 23, the security of the US embassy was strengthened. On February 28, anarchy begins in the capital — looting and murder. On February 29, President Aristide, accompanied by U.S. Marines, was evacuated to the Central African Republic. Power passed to the Chief Justice. On March 1, French troops took control of all the key places of the capital. Soon, a UN mission was sent to the Republic of Haiti to stabilize the situation in the country.

In July 2004, more than 1.5 thousand people were killed by landslides caused by heavy rains, and in September 2004, at least 2 thousand were victims of hurricanes " Zhanna "and"Ivan". The UN sent humanitarian aid to the victims, the division of which again led to bloodshed.

In early October 2004, supporters of the ousted President Aristide started new riots. The task of stopping them was assigned to the UN police stabilization force (almost 7 thousand people). The troops of the Haitian army and police tried to help the peacekeepers, for which the United States allocated $ 9 million in training and rearmament only in 2004, but their efforts did not bring proper results.

In February 2006, Rene Preval, who was close in views to the still popular Aristide in the country, was elected president in 1995-2000.

 

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake occurred, the epicenter was located south of the island near the state capital of Port-au-Prince. Tens of thousands of victims are reported among the population of the country, numerous destructions, including the most important buildings of national and international importance. On January 20, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck. On January 26, the government released data on the number of dead, based on the count of bodies in mass graves. According to these data, 210 thousand people who became victims of a devastating earthquake are buried in Haiti. In the same year, a cholera epidemic broke out in the country, caused by the unsanitary conditions in the tent camps (where many people who were left homeless after the earthquake still live). According to some reports, cholera was brought to Haiti by Nepalese UN peacekeepers.

On March 20, 2011, Michel Marteilly, a well-known musician and right-wing politician, was elected President of Haiti in the second round of elections.

In 2017, Jovenel Moiz became President of Haiti.