president rene preval

Here is a picture of Former Haitian president Rene Preval going for baggage check at Airport unnoticed.

René García Préval (born Jan. 17, 1943) served two terms as the President of Haiti from February 7, 1996 to February 7, 2001, and from May 14, 2006 to May 14, 2011 and he is the first former Prime Minister to be elected President. He is the son of an agronomist, left Haiti in 1963 for Belgium to study agronomy. After earning a degree, from the Gembloux Agricultural University, he continued his education at the University of Pisa, to work in geothermal sciences. In 1970, when Préval moved to Brooklyn; there he served as a messenger and a waiter. In 1988 after returning to Haiti, he opened a bakery in Port-au-Prince that provided bread to poor children. It was there he met Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was then a Roman Catholic priest working in the slums. In 1990, when Aristide was elected president, Préval became his Prime Minister (February 1991 to October 11, 1991). Préval was the first elected head of state in Haitian history to peacefully receive power from a predecessor in office and the first President in Haitian history since independence to serve full terms in office. Recently, on 10th May, 2016, Rene Préval was seen standing in the queue at the airport baggage check-in counter, like a common man going for a trip, unnoticed. There was no security, no one to carry his luggage, neither there was any diplomatic room for him. Many consider that he was the only Haitian President who could feel the pulse of Haitian people. He is the same president guy who never hesitated to leave the National Palace behind a motorcycle, because the traffic was congested.

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Here is a famous statement pronounced by the Haitian strong man Guy Philippe as he draws a line in the sand of Deriveau for Jocelerme Privert.

"Polices are not enemies. My enemies are in the National Palace". "The President is a macaque covered with the skin of a tiger. If he thinks he is a tiger, that he comes to Pestel execute his threats".

"If the President decides to attack me, as did before him Aristide and René Préval, do not worry, we will react. I do not ask the population to face them, I have people to do it. If they want to come, let them. But when they come at the level of Deriveau, cut all the roads to prevent them from going back and I'll take care of the rest." - Guy Philippe, May, 2016

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Is there such a thing as political friendship? Can a political friend be considered a real friend?

There is a very good reason why I am asking this question. In Haiti as it is the case in many other countries, I see political relationships being formed regularly. Michel Martelly, although he has known Laurent Lamothe well before, they have decided to form political partners. will this new venture end their long time relationship or not?

The Haitian President and his Prime Minister were at one point inseparable. However, in politic, the rules are different. If you dont trust me, go ask Preval or Aristide. Not too long ago, Former President Jean Bertrand Aristide and his Prime Minister Rene Preval were in the same position. Just watching how the relationship between Jean Bertrand Aristide and Rene Preval has deteriorated since President Aristide has left office, i can't help to ask the same question between the Martelly-Lamothe team.

With the Presidential commission recommending the resignation of Laurent Lamothe as Prime Minister, will the relationship remain?

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Here is a picture of the inauguration. President Michel Martelly and his wife Sophia Martelly, President Rene Preval and his wife Elizabeth Debrosse Delatour

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