1961-1964
As a security front, Francois organized the Tontons Macoutes, an unsanctioned armed force mainly used to coerce those that opposed him. Their official name is Volunteers For National Security, however they were known to the Haitian people as the “bogeymen”. It consists of 9,000-15,000 men. They did not receive a salary, so they consequentially were driven to a life of extortion and crime to support their families. Francois built them up to be stronger than the Haitian military, which would aid him in secure his place in power and repressing the opposition even if it was the military itself. They enforced Duvalier’s dictatorship by torturing, raping, murdering and beating those that demonstrated political unrest. They killed foreigners who seeked refuge in the country before the Regime on the basis that they were not “natives” of Haiti. Peasant’s lands were taken from them and given to eminent members of the Tontons. The name “Tontons Macoutes” is derived from an old folktale about old men who capture children and put them in sacks ( Francois did not hesitate to send those that opposed him to FortDimanche where they were tortured and put to death. Freedom of the press was taken away, many of the workers jailed since Francois believed them all to be enemies. The death toll caused by the Tontons Macoutes is said to reach over 100,000 during both Francois and Jean-Claude’s reign. Eventually, Francois killed his good friend and chief of the Tontons Macoutes, Clement Barbot the reason being that he was “too ambitious for his own good.” (
Francois also set up another smaller army known as his “Palace Guard”. This was his own personal power group within the military that stayed closed by him. They were pretty much considered bodyguards, and his go-to men if he felt threatened and felt as though the Tontons or the regular military couldn’t handle it themselves.
Duvalier broke down numerous invasions from those that he exiled, of which one came strikingly close to conquering the Regime. This assault was composed of eight men both Haitian exiles and sheriff deputies from the coast of Florida. He solidified his image by using various propaganda techniques, ranging from posters of Jesus saying he chose Duvalier to rule to embodying the Baron Samedi (the dead spirit summoned in Voodoo).
Francois then changed the make-up of the legislature and replaced all the cabinet members with his followers in 1961. The United States postponed their aid to Haiti to display their displeasure of Duvalier’s conduct. He was excommunicated from the Catholic church as well as a result of him expelling all of Haiti’s foreign bishops in the call for nationalism and supplant political allies in their place. Francois main focus was to bring down the light skinned superiority that he felt cast a shadow over Haiti. He wanted the darker skinned Haitians to be the new middle and upper class. He instituted a new flag for Haiti, a mix that joined Haiti’s original flag with the African flag, to show a deep connection between the two.
By 1963, the annual per capita income was $80, and as a result only 10% of the Haitian population could read and write their own name.