Joseph Raoul Cédras is a Haitian former military officer who was de facto ruler of Haiti from 1991 to 1994.
Background
A mulatto, Cédras was educated in the United States and was a member of the US-trained Leopard Corps. He also trained with the Spanish military. Cédras was chosen by the US and France to be in charge of security for the Haitian general election, 1990–1991, and subsequently named Commander-in-Chief of the army by Jean-Bertrand Aristide in early 1991. Under Aristide, Cédras "was one important source for the CIA, providing reports critical of President Aristide."
Cédras was a Lieutenant General in the Forces Armées d'Haïti and was responsible for the 1991 Haitian coup d'état which ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on 29 September 1991. Some human rights groups criticized Cédras's rule, alleging that innocent people were killed by the FAdH military and FRAPH paramilitary units. The US State department said in 1995 that in the three years following the coup "international observers estimated that more than 3,000 men, women and children were murdered by or with the complicity of Haiti's then-coup regime." While remaining the de facto leader of Haiti as commander of the country's armed forces, Cédras did not retain his position as head of state, preferring to have other politicians as official presidents. As required by Article 149, of the 1987 Haitian Constitution, Haiti's Parliament appointed Supreme Court JusticeJoseph Nérette as provisional President, to fill in until elections could be held. The elections were called for December 1991 but were blocked by the American government. Nérette later resigned and was replaced by Supreme Court Justice Émile Jonassaint. Under the delegation of U.S. president Bill Clinton, the former President Jimmy Carter, accompanied by Senator Sam Nunn and General Colin Powell, urged Provisional President Émile Jonassaint to relinquish his control in 1994, in order to avoid a potential invasion. Jonassaint resigned. General Cédras had indicated his desire to remain in Haiti. However, the Americans did not think this was the best solution and convinced the General that in the national interest, he should consider departing for Panama. The United States reportedly gave Cédras $1 million and rented three properties as incentive to leave power.
Later life
After leaving Haiti, Cédras went to Panama where he remains. Aristide then returned to power in Haiti and was forced into resigning again in 2004.
