Haiti
Key figures in Haiti's crisis
By Times Staff
Published March 1, 2004
JEAN-BERTRAND ARISTIDE
 A former slum priest, Aristide was extremely popular when he became Haiti's first freely elected leader in 1990. The army ousted him in 1991, brutalizing and murdering his supporters until the United States intervened in 1994. Aristide was re-elected in 2000 but has lost support since flawed legislative elections that year led international donors to freeze millions of dollars in aid.
Opponents accuse him of breaking promises to help the poor, allowing corruption fueled by drug trafficking and masterminding attacks on opponents by armed gangs - charges the president denies.
ANDY APAID JR.
 The most outspoken leader of the opposition coalition, Andre (Andy) Apaid is a factory owner born in the United States. His family fled Haiti under Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, who ruled from 1957 to 1971.
Favoring pressed pastel shirts and gold-rimmed glasses, Apaid looks like a Miami businessman but says he is totally Haitian at heart.
"I am just as much a part of this country as anyone," Apaid, in his early 50s, said recently. "That's why I am saying we must choose another path for the country."
But without a constitutional amendment, he will never become president because of his dual nationality.
EVANS PAUL
 Another top figure in the opposition coalition, Paul is a former mayor of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, who was in hiding from the brutal military regime during much of his term until U.S. troops arrived in 1994.
Paul, who is in his late 40s, was head of a center-left coalition that nominated Aristide for president in 1990. Paul managed Aristide's successful election campaign but broke ranks after Aristide left him out of his inner circle.
GUY PHILIPPE
 The 36-year-old leader of a motley band of rebels threatening to take over Haiti, Philippe joined the revolt a week after it was started in Gonaives by a street gang.
Philippe came from neighboring Dominican Republic, where he fled in 2000 amid charges he was plotting a coup.
Philippe was born to peasants near the provincial town of Jeremie and is a former army officer who trained in Ecuador. He returned to Haiti in 1994. After Aristide disbanded the army, he served in the National Police Force, eventually becoming regional commander for the northern sector and police chief of Cap-Haitien.
Haiti's military has a history of ruling with brutality, but Philippe says soldiers should stay in the barracks and insists that, under his command, things would change.
He is married to an American woman from Wisconsin.
BONIFACE ALEXANDRE
 Haiti's Supreme Court chief justice announced three hours after Aristide's departure that he was taking charge of the government as provided by the constitution. However, the Haitian constitution calls for Parliament to approve him as leader and the legislature has not met since early this year when lawmakers' terms expired.
He urged calm, and unity. He was brought up by his uncle, former Prime Minister Martial Celestin, and represented the French Embassy during 25 years as a lawyer. He joined the Court of Appeals in the late 1980s and became one of the 12 Supreme Court members in 1990. He was appointed chief justice about a decade later.
Alexandre, in his 60s, has been honored for his honesty in a judicial system notorious for corruption.
BUTTEUR METAYER
 The street gang leader who started Haiti's rebellion Feb. 5 by seizing the northern city of Gonaives freely admits that he used to go around terrorizing Aristide's opponents. Metayer says Aristide armed his Cannibal Army gang for that purpose. The gang turned on Aristide after gang leader Amiot Metayer, Butteur's brother, was assassinated last year, accusing the government of silencing him to prevent him giving damaging information about Aristide. Aristide denies any involvement with the gang.
[Last modified March 1, 2004, 07:31:56]
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