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| Jean-Claude Duvalier, Haiti’s ‘Baby Doc,’ Dies at 63 | Jean-Claude Duvalier, Haiti’s ‘Baby Doc,’ Dies at 63 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| MEXICO CITY — Jean-Claude Duvalier, a former dictator of Haiti known as Baby Doc who ruled the country with a brutality that left thousands dead, disappeared and illegally detained and tortured, and then shocked the country anew with a sudden return from a 25-year exile in 2011, died on Saturday. | MEXICO CITY — Jean-Claude Duvalier, a former dictator of Haiti known as Baby Doc who ruled the country with a brutality that left thousands dead, disappeared and illegally detained and tortured, and then shocked the country anew with a sudden return from a 25-year exile in 2011, died on Saturday. |
| The president of Haiti, Michel J. Martelly, announced the death in a statement and in a post on Twitter. | The president of Haiti, Michel J. Martelly, announced the death in a statement and in a post on Twitter. |
| Mr. Duvalier, 63, died of a heart attack at his home in Port-au-Prince, his lawyer Reynold Georges told Reuters. | |
| Mr. Duvalier maintained a quiet defiance and defense of what human rights workers called one of the most oppressive regimes in the hemisphere, following in the footsteps of his father, François Duvalier, known as Papa Doc, who died in 1971. | Mr. Duvalier maintained a quiet defiance and defense of what human rights workers called one of the most oppressive regimes in the hemisphere, following in the footsteps of his father, François Duvalier, known as Papa Doc, who died in 1971. |
| The younger Duvalier was 19 when he assumed the post of "President for Life,” as he called it. | |
| He never apologized for the atrocities committed under his government, including brutal crackdowns on opponents at the hands of the feared Tonton Macoutes civilian militia. | He never apologized for the atrocities committed under his government, including brutal crackdowns on opponents at the hands of the feared Tonton Macoutes civilian militia. |
| Indeed, Mr. Duvalier defended himself, as victims of his regime pursued corruption and human rights abuse charges in Haitian courts, where he calmly denied wrongdoing and even asserted that the country was better off when he ruled. | Indeed, Mr. Duvalier defended himself, as victims of his regime pursued corruption and human rights abuse charges in Haitian courts, where he calmly denied wrongdoing and even asserted that the country was better off when he ruled. |
| “Were there deaths and summary executions under your government?” a judge asked him at a hearing in March 2013. | “Were there deaths and summary executions under your government?” a judge asked him at a hearing in March 2013. |
| “Deaths exist in all countries,” Mr. Duvalier replied almost inaudibly. “I didn’t intervene in the activities of the police.” | “Deaths exist in all countries,” Mr. Duvalier replied almost inaudibly. “I didn’t intervene in the activities of the police.” |
| He regularly dined in Port-au-Prince restaurants and attended events at the invitation of Mr. Martelly, whose administration has included relatives and allies of people associated with Mr. Duvalier. | He regularly dined in Port-au-Prince restaurants and attended events at the invitation of Mr. Martelly, whose administration has included relatives and allies of people associated with Mr. Duvalier. |
| This year, the former dictator announced he was forming a political party, though analysts were not sure if it was a serious move or a thumb in the eye of the rival he loathed and who succeeded him, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, another formerly exiled president who had also returned and is still seen as a political force. | This year, the former dictator announced he was forming a political party, though analysts were not sure if it was a serious move or a thumb in the eye of the rival he loathed and who succeeded him, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, another formerly exiled president who had also returned and is still seen as a political force. |
| Mr. Duvalier fled the country in an uprising in 1986 that set the stage for democratic elections, and he spent most of his exile in France. Human rights groups have said that he looted Haiti’s treasury of millions of dollars and has largely lived off ill-gotten gains ever since. | Mr. Duvalier fled the country in an uprising in 1986 that set the stage for democratic elections, and he spent most of his exile in France. Human rights groups have said that he looted Haiti’s treasury of millions of dollars and has largely lived off ill-gotten gains ever since. |
| His presence in the country and the fact that he would now escape trial appalled victims and human rights workers. | His presence in the country and the fact that he would now escape trial appalled victims and human rights workers. |
| “On Duvalier’s death, I’m thinking of the look in my mother’s eyes when she talks about her brother Joel, who was disappeared by that dictator,” Patrick Gaspard, the American ambassador to South Africa, who is Haitian-American, posted on Twitter on Saturday. “News of the passing of Duvalier makes me honor my father and generations of Haitians who resisted that vicious dictatorship.” | “On Duvalier’s death, I’m thinking of the look in my mother’s eyes when she talks about her brother Joel, who was disappeared by that dictator,” Patrick Gaspard, the American ambassador to South Africa, who is Haitian-American, posted on Twitter on Saturday. “News of the passing of Duvalier makes me honor my father and generations of Haitians who resisted that vicious dictatorship.” |
| In a series of messages on Twitter, Mr. Martelly offered condolences to Mr. Duvalier’s family. | In a series of messages on Twitter, Mr. Martelly offered condolences to Mr. Duvalier’s family. |
| “Despite our quarrels and our differences, we honor the departure of a true son of Haiti,” Mr. Martelly said in French. | “Despite our quarrels and our differences, we honor the departure of a true son of Haiti,” Mr. Martelly said in French. |