By Rahul Gupta
Rene Preval, the former president of Haiti, passed away on the 3rd of March,2017. Rene Prevals presidency was the first peaceful transition of power in Haitis close to 200-year-old independent history.
Humble Beginnings
Preval was born in rural Haiti, to a doctor at the height of Papa Docs reign. He studied agronomy in Belgium and geothermal science in Italy before woking as a waiter in New York. In 1988, Preval opened a bakery in the slums of Haitis capital, Port-Au-Prince. During this time he came into contact with Father Aristide, a charismatic priest and activist. Preval came into the limelight while working as a part of Aristides movement aimed at the urban poor in Port-Au-Prince. The movement culminated in Aristides Presidency in 1990, where he appointed Preval as Prime Minister.
Preval’s Presidency
A year after being appointed, Aristides presidency was cut short by a military coup. Three years later, employing the aid of UN forces, Aristides term was reinstated. In 1996, Preval succeeded Aristide as president, winning 88% of the popular vote. Preval made certain changes in the economy, he privatised several government companies and introduced agrarian reforms. Preval was an avid supporter of human rights and encouraged investigations into alleged infractions by the police and government.
He contested for a second term in 2006, narrowly securing the required votes. His second term was seen as a rare moment of peace and stability in Haiti. At the time, Haiti witnessed a 3% annual growth rate, even though the crime rate was on the rise. This success was short-lived, the 2010 earthquake killed and displaced millions of citizens and the response of Preval’s administration was seen as weak and ineffective. After the earthquake, he disappeared from the public eye entirely.
On Foreign Policy
Mr Prevals foreign policy gains were also significant. Not only did he share warm relations with both the Bush and Obama administrations but he also nurtured ties with Hugo Chavez and successfully secured aid, oil and a few big infrastructure projects. Preval also received support from Fidel and Raul Castro for consistently voting against the US embargo on Cuba at the United Nations. As a scion of Latin American integration, he invited and visited leaders from the Dominican Republic and Bolivia.
His death leaves behind a mixed legacy. Preval will be remembered for what he did not do, rather than what he did do. His commitment to human rights, constitutionalism and Latin integration was in stark contrast to the lack of action during the earthquake. There is no doubt, that the people are left with a mixed opinion of his presidency.