Jean-Bertand Aristide - Haiti Observer Blog

We just learned that Former Haitian Prime Minister Smarck Michel passed away. According to the family, he died from a brain tumor at the age of 75. He is leaving his wife of 53 years, Victoire Marie-Rose Sterlin, and daughters Patricia and Marjorie Michel. This information was obtained from Washington post.

Smarck Michel became Prime Minister under Jean-Bertrand Aristide. However, he was dismissed following criticism that the government was unable to lower prices for food and other basic goods.

The Haitian former Prime Minister Smarck Michel was born March 29, 1937, in St. Marc. He completed his college education in New York., then returned to Haiti in the 1950s. Michel served as commerce and industry minister in the first government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He became prime minister of Haiti in 1994, after the restoration of Jean-Bertrand Aristide by the U.S.-led multinational military force. He resigned from his position about one year later.

Read more →  

Antoine's testimony, as a government witness, has aided an extensive probe into the dealings between the Florida telecoms and high-level Haitian functionaries, which has implicated former Haitian president Jean-Bertand Aristide.

Asked about how the Court viewed Antoine's assistance up until now, Kainen said, "My client and his family have been reassured that the government is taking into account Mr. Antoine's generous assistance and cooperation, well before he pled guilty to money laundering. We are confident that the Court will reduce his sentence, since without his help the investigation would have faltered badly."

Eight defendants have been tried and sentenced, as an outcome of the investigation, most notably former telecom CEO Joel Esquenazi, who secured the longest-running prison term, in U.S. jurisprudence, in defiance of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

Read more →  

Former Haitian Police Chief, Army major and bodyguard Dany Toussaint is also a former Senator and leader of the Haitian Democratic and Reformist Movement Party. Mr. Dany Toussaint was a body guard of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Involvement In Jean Dominique case:
Dany Toussaint was named as a suspect in the 2000 murder of a radio journalist, Jean Dominique. In 2003, Former Government Commissioner Claudy Gassant made new when he requested the immunity of Senator Dany Toussaint be lifted in regard to the assassination. This request Judge Claudy Gassant to remove his immunity was nor honored by the Haitian Senate.

Read more →  

This is pure history making picture. The current president Michel Martelly meets with Jean Bertrand Aristide on Wednesday, October 12, 2011. Will this day be considered in Haiti history as the day of general reconciliation.

So much was said between these two leaders. At one point, Michel Martelly was openly critical of Jean Bertrand Aristide.

However, the time has come where it is no longer something personal. We have a country to defend.

It seems to me that Michel Martell has done just that.

The big reunion about Haiti is now underway

Read more →  

Haitian politics has been shaped by decades of power struggles between people in power, as well as with the country's citizens. Long-time politician René Préval has witnessed and experienced them all.

Before becoming a politician, Préval first became an agronomist, which has something to do with the science and technology of agriculture. After acquiring his studies in Belgium and Italy and living in New York for five years, he went home to Haiti and worked for the National Institute for Mineral Resources and was very active in agricultural activities in Haitian society. Préval then put up his own bakery and remained active political movements and charity, which led him to meet Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the country's first democratic president. In 1991, he served as Haiti's Prime Minister for eight months before going into exile after a military coup.

Read more →  

By May 14, 2011 Haiti will have a record number of former presidents in the country. It will be the first time that happen in the history of Haiti.

Former Haitian President Boniface Alexandre is in Haiti, living a quit life. We recently have two controversial former leaders who made celebrity comeback to Haiti in 2011: Jean-Claude Duvalier and Jean-Bertraned Aristide. By the end of his term on May 14, president Rene Preval will join the list of former Haitian presidents as well.

How can Haiti make good use of all these former leaders?

Read more →  

The historic event is finally a reality. Former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide is back in Haiti after spending seven years in exile.

His airplane touched down at Toussaint L'Ouverture airport on Friday, March 18, at 9:21am.

An exclusivity from The "Haitian Joudalist". We will be providing the first pictures and videos as they become available

Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced into exile in 2004 by a rebellion headed by Guy Philippe and Chambain. Aristide declared that the US orchestretated the coup d'Etat. He went on exile in South africa and he has been living in South Africa since 2004

Read more →  

In this video, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who is South Africa's International Relations Minister officially wished Jean-Bertrand Aristide well. She was accompanied by the American actor Danny Glover, a long time friend of Aristide.

This is the first footage of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as he is ready to give his final statement before living South Africa.

You are watching the action immediately and as is.

What do you think now?

Read more →  

The "Haitian Joudalist" just learned that Aristide's supporters will not have to wait long before they see their leader in Haiti. Jean-Bertrand Aristide will be in Haiti in about a Month from Now or less. According to his current layer, Ira Kurzban, Jean-Bertrand Aristide will be in Haiti before the Haitian run-off election scheduled for March20.

Attorney Kurzban also confirmed that Jean-Bertrand Aristide received his passport. He said that he is in possession of his passport and now making final preparations for his return.

He also reiterated that Jean-Bertrand Aristide has no political plan. His objective is become involved in education once he returns to Haiti.

Read more →  

The "Haitian Joudalist" just learned that The Haitian Government will issue a Diplomatic passport to Jean-Bertrand Aristide so that he can return to Haiti. According to Reuters News, Fritz Longchamp who is the current general secretary for president Rene Preval told the news media: "The Council of Ministers, under the leadership of President Rene Preval, decided that a diplomatic passport be issued to President Aristide, if he asks for it."

On the other hand, Ira Kurzban, who is the current attorney for Jean-Bertrand Aristide, formally requested the passport in a letter to the Haitian authorities. He also requested security for Aristide when he returns to Haiti

Read more →