On February 7, 1986, Jean-Claude Duvalier, Haiti’s ruler, known as “Baby Doc,” was forced into exile following a popular uprising against his dictatorial regime. Amid escalating protests and mounting international pressure for reform, Duvalier, along with his family and close associates, fled Haiti. The departure was facilitated by the U.S. government, which provided an Air Force aircraft to transport them. They initially landed in France, marking the end of nearly 30 years of the Duvalier family’s oppressive rule in Haiti, which had begun with his father, François “Papa Doc” Duvalier, in 1957. This day marked a significant turning point, ushering in a period of hopeful, yet tumultuous, political change in Haiti.
