Duvalier Military

Here is a picture of Corp des Leopard In Haiti, Haiti Military.

During the rule of Jean-Claude Duvalier (Baby Doc) the Leopard Corps In Haiti was created in 1971 with United States' assistance as a "counter-insurgency" force to provide support with a relatively modern tool for responding to country's internal threats and to balance two powers between the Haitian Armed Forces and the Tonton Macoutes (became the Volontaires de la Securite Nationale or VSN after 1962 with around 9,000 members). However, the Leopards were described by human rights investigators as "particularly brutal in dealing with civilians" (its activities were often suppressed). Some of Haiti's subsequent paramilitary leaders got their start in the Leopard's camouflage outfit. James Byers, the CEO of Miami based Aerotrade who was in charge to train the leopards, had later admitted before camera in mid 1980's, that Aerotrade did this under CIA contract. The force, consisting 700 members, was Duvalier's a personal security force where the participating members required a higher education level to join. 'Corps des Léopards' was disbanded within a month of an attempted coup in 1989.

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Here is a picture of three member of FADH Military guarding the tomb of former Haitian Dictator Francois Duvalier

The man was born on April 14, 1907 and would later become a successful physician, during which time he got his nickname for his ability to stave off diseases such as malaria and typhus. Setting himself up with President Dumarsais Estime, he was given the role of Director General of National Public Health in 1946, becoming Minister of Health and Labor 3 years later. In 1950, he stood in opposition of a military coup, and used the fame of his resulting six-year exile, plus his platform as both a populist and a black nationalist, to propel himself to presidency in 1957. By 1964, he declared himself "President for Life" and continued to use his influence to stay in power, exiling any who would oppose him. A fate that was no doubt less severe than that faced by the estimated 30,000 he had killed.

Over the course of his rule, there would be numerous attacks on his life, including the 1967 bombing near to the palace, which resulted in the shooting of 19 President Guard officers. In one of the greatest affronts to Haitian democracy, upon Duvalier's death in 1971, his son Jean-Claude 'Baby Doc' Duvalier, at 19, was named president after him, ushering in a new generation of despotic rule.

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Here is a picture of Forces Armées d'Haïti, also known as FAD'H controlling a protest.

Haiti is a country without any regular devoted military forces. The last formal armed forces were demobilized in 1995. Haiti's first military was born in the bed of country's slave revolution. The early Haitian leaders emerged from military cadres produced by decade (1791-1804) long warfare which was fundamentally a slave revolt to expel the French out of their colony in Saint-Domingue. Haiti without a strong constitution, had been mostly ruled by force. After the expulsion of the French, the amalgamated armed force got broken down into pieces and took coercive control in every aspect of Haitian governance without any acceptable constitution. In 1987, a decree recommended the formation of a Haitian armed forces, however, that was never properly implemented till 1989 and the crude built up that came out was finally abolished in 1995. Practically, Haiti has no present external threats other than the occasional tension with its neighbor Dominican Republic over a border fixed in 1936. The presence of U.S. military in Haiti is enough to stall attack on the country.

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Here is a picture of former haitian Dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier with wife Michele Bennett. He is carrying the uniform of his newly created military force, the Leopards Corps.

The Leopard Corp was was established during the regime of Jean Claude Duvalier andestimated at 700 member. This was a tactical unit created in the early 1970s and based in Petion-Ville.

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