In a major twist of events, the former Haitian dictator, Jean Claude Duvalier, was taken into custody by Haitian police. He was led away from his hotel room to a Court House near downtown Port-au-Prince. Early this morning, CSMS Magazine has learned that Paul Denis, Haiti’s top prosecutor, was about to formally order an arrest warrant against Baby Doc.
It was reported that several prominent figures in the country were outraged by the sudden presence of Jean Claude Duvalier and were accusing Preval directly for allowing this to happen. All these were taking place against the backdrop an Amnesty International complaint, demanding that the former butcher be arrested for crimes against humanity.
According to AP, a meeting between Jean Claude and officials from the judiciary was held this morning inside El Karibe Hotel, where Jean Claude had been staying since he arrived on Sunday. Rumors spread that Preval and some key Duvalierists at the top-end of his government engineered the stunning return in order to deviate public opinion from the real issue of the day: organizing the election runoff.
It was reported that dozens of Haitian National Police officers were stationed in and out of the hotel, “some of them in riot gear or guarding the stairwells.” According to The Associated Press, a police vehicle for transporting prisoners was parked in front of the hotel’s main door and all non-police traffic was halted at the driveway.
But Henry Robert Sterlin, a former ambassador under Duvalier who, since Sunday, has been the official spokesperson for baby Doc, told reporters that he was taken off-guard. “Let’s see if they put him in prison,” he said.
No one knows for sure what went on during the meeting because none of the officials present would comment on what was being discussed. When the journalists asked Judge Gabriel Amboise why he was going to meet Duvalier, he was quite aloof. “I’m here to assist the prosecutor because he asked me to be here with him.”
According to Radio Signal FM, there is an impromptu demonstration going right now outside the Court House. Some demonstrators are Aristide supporters demanding his return; some were chanting slogans against Preval. It appears that the situation is advancing in full speed. Stay with CSMS Magazine or CSYF Magazine (www.csyfmagazine.org ) for further info as they become available.
