When Jean-Claude Duvalier, ended his 25-year exile this week he made a surprise return to Haiti with an elegant woman on his arm. But it wasn’t the same woman who was forced to flee alongside him a quarter century ago.
Anyone who saw Ed Bradley’s fantastic 1986 piece on the ouster of Jean-Claude Duvalier, probably wondered: Is that Michele? The one who refrigerated a room of the presidential palace so she could comfortably wear her fur coats in tropical weather? The one who pilfered millions of dollars from Haitian coffers for shopping sprees and parties?
Michele Bennett was a divorcee and mother of two when she married the young dictator and became the first lady of Haiti. As you’ll learn in this classic “60 Minutes” piece produced by the late George Crile, Michele enlisted the Haitian TV network to promote her efforts to alleviate the extreme poverty of the Haitian people. But behind palace walls, Michele’s story took a very different turn, and with it, turned Haitian history.
Jean-Claude Duvalier, who took the title “President For Life” at the age of 19, ruled the country from 1971 until 1986, the year this piece was broadcast. After being chased from Haiti by angry mobs, Michele and Jean-Claude spent years living in luxury on the French Riviera. The couple has since divorced, and Veronique Roy is the female companion who arrived in Haiti on his arm this week.
“The Real Power Behind Baby Doc / Exiled Jean-Claude Duvalier made a spectacular return to Haiti”.
This is the tittle of your blurb. It made me expect to read something about Veronique Roy. But you said nothing about her. Bad writing.
Perhaps if you actually read it as it is written, you might not be so quick to be arrogant.
Bad reading? Or perhaps they didn’t live up to your expectations of mention of Veronique? You expect the article to be about her, even though her name was not mentioned ONCE but until the end of the article
Are you telling me that I’ve to watch “Ed Bradley” 60 minutes to differentiate Michele Bennet and Veronique Roy ? You’re not analyzing the events you just reporting it, your title has nothing to do with the subject, there’s no new data and you’re living in the past. Putting JC Duvalier in jail will not change Haiti it will only satisfied Haiti long time enemies the so called “friends of Haiti” and “snitches”. I’ve never seen any news agencies reporting in favor of any Haitian Government ever, when we all know who’s really stopping this country from moving forward.
“The Truth doesn’t need friends and followers it stands alone and proud”
Dorvil-No one is telling you to do anything. Articles are posted for you to do with as you please. You have your own mind, and your own thoughts.
Why don’t you come back to your country and join in the effort to rebuild. We could use the help.
Michele Benet is a crook. Veronique has shown no such actions that could see her being even close to compared.
And in addition to what Dorvil had to say…It is time to take out these terrible pictures off on the top web site!!!PLEASE! Have mercy in honor of these victims!!!
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