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| 1968, May |
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| Another attempt to invade Haiti, staged by opposition elements in exile, was easily defeated, as had been previous efforts. | 1 |
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| 1971, April 21 |
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| After the death of “Papa Doc” Duvalier, Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier was named president for life. Although less brutal than his father, “Baby Doc” continued the corrupt practices of his father's regime, diverting foreign aid and investment into his own pockets. The younger Duvalier maintained the Tonton Macoutes, the most despised symbol of the regime's repression. | 2 |
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| 1980–86 |
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| As the economy shrank by 10 percent, the situation in Haiti gradually worsened. Unemployment and hunger grew, and Haiti was widely cited as the poorest nation in the hemisphere. | 3 |
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| 1986, Jan |
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| Worried about the inflow of Haitian refugees into the U.S. and unable to justify supporting such a repressive and corrupt dictatorship, the Reagan administration suspended aid to Haiti. | 4 |
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| Feb |
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| Fearing Communist threats in Haiti, the Reagan administration agreed to help engineer a coup. Amid demonstrations and the threat of civil war, U.S. military transport was arranged to take Jean-Claude Duvalier to exile in France. A civilian-military government headed by Duvalier's chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Henri Namphy, took over. Namphy failed to fulfill promises of an end to repression. | 5 |
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