Hérard Abraham

Hérard Abraham (28 July 1940 – 24 August 2022) was a Haitian military officer and politician who served as the acting President of Haiti in 1990, helping to lead its democratic transition.

Hérard Abraham
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship
In office
28 January 2005  9 June 2006
PresidentBoniface Alexandre
Prime MinisterGerard Latortue
Preceded byYvon Simeon
Succeeded byJean Rénald Clérismé
Minister of Interior and National Security
In office
17 March 2004  28 January 2005
PresidentBoniface Alexandre
Prime MinisterGerard Latortue
Preceded byJocelerme Privert
Succeeded byGeorges Moïse
Acting President of Haiti
In office
10 March 1990  13 March 1990
Preceded byProsper Avril
Succeeded byErtha Pascal-Trouillot
Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Haiti
In office
10 March 1990  2 July 1991
PresidentErtha Pascal-Trouillot
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Preceded byProsper Avril
Succeeded byRaoul Cedras
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship
In office
20 January 1988  18 September 1988
PresidentHenri Namphy
Preceded byGerard Latortue
Succeeded bySerge E. Charles
Minister of Information and Coordination
In office
24 March 1986  5 January 1987
PresidentHenri Namphy
Preceded byMax Vallès
Succeeded byJacques Lorthé
Secretary of Interior and National Defence
In office
7 February 1986  24 March 1986
PresidentHenri Namphy
Personal details
Born(1940-07-28)28 July 1940
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Died24 August 2022(2022-08-24) (aged 82)
Fermathe, Ouest, Haiti
SpouseMaryse Armand
OccupationMilitary officer, politician

Biography

Hérard Abraham was born in Port-au-Prince on 28 July 1940.[1] He enlisted in the Haitian army as a young man and rose to the rank of lieutenant general. Abraham became one of the few military members in the inner circle of President Jean-Claude Duvalier. He supported the 1986 coup against him. Under Henri Namphy, he served as the Secretary of State for the Interior and National Defense from 7 February to 24 March 1986, the Minister of Information and Coordination from 24 March 1986 to January 1987 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 20 June to 18 September 1988.[2][1]

He became acting President of Haiti on 10 March 1990 after street protests forced President Prosper Avril into exile. He gave up power three days later, becoming the only military leader in Haiti during the twentieth century to give up power voluntarily. Abraham helped in securing the 1990–91 Haitian general election. In January 1991, he helped to crush a coup attempt by Roger Lafontant.[3][4] In July 1991, he was forced to retire from the army by the recently elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and moved to the United States. He settled in Miami, Florida and drifted into obscurity.[4]

After the 2004 Haitian coup d'état forced Aristide to resign, Abraham was one of the contenders for the position of the Prime Minister of Haiti. His friend Gérard Latortue however was chosen at the end by the Council of Sages and he appointed Abraham as a minister in his cabinet.[4] Abraham was sworn in as the Minister of Interior and National Security on 17 March 2004.[5] He later served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 28 January 2005 to 9 June 2006.[1]

On 7 October 2019, amid nationwide protests for the resignation of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, the retired lieutenant general penned an open letter regretting the situation. He called on political leaders to show thoughtfulness and patience for a resolution so that the country could never again be called a "shit hole", referring to language attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump.[6]

In 2020, President Jovenel Moïse appointed Abraham to a five-member committee for drafting a new Constitution of Haiti. He started suffering from a brain tumor before his death and died at the age of 82 on 24 August 2022 at his home in Fermathe.[4]

References

  1. "iciHaiti - Obituaries : Passing away of General Hérard Abraham". Haiti Libre. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  2. "REPORT ON THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN HAITI", Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
  3. "Chapter LIV - Herard Abraham: 3/10/1990-3/13/1990 - Foire d'Opinions Haitiennes". Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  4. Jacqueline Charles (25 August 2022). "Hérard Abraham, general who helped usher in Haiti's democratic transition, is dead". Miami Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  5. "New Haiti government sworn in". Agence-France Press. Al Jazeera. 17 March 2004. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  6. "Ret. Lt. General Hérard Abraham Greatly Saddened by Situation in Haiti". The Haiti Sentinel. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
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