1934-03: (The LFAS Petition and Vincent’s Paranoia — By End of March the Organization Having a Governing Body and Clear Goals but Missing Government Authoriz…

1934-03: (The LFAS Petition and Vincent’s Paranoia — By End of March the Organization Having a Governing Body and Clear Goals but Missing Government Authorization, the Women Confident Because Many LFAS Members Were Well Acquainted with the Vincent Administration — Garoute and Sylvain Living and Socializing in the Same Powerful Circles and Even Hosting the Vincent Family at Their Jérémie Home, Vincent Elected Four Years Before the Occupation’s End with Wide Nationalist Appeal but Becoming Paranoid About Losing Political Popularity as the Nation’s Savior, Using Executive Power to Monitor and Repress Organizations Unions and Social and Religious Gatherings — Particularly Anxious About Younger Nationalists Turning Toward Radical Marxism): By the end of March 1934, the organization had a governing body and clear goals, but it was missing government authorization. When the LFAS leadership submitted the petition, the women likely suspected approval would come within days. They were particularly confident because many members were well acquainted with the transitioning Vincent administration. Garoute and Sylvain lived and socialized in the same powerful circles as Vincent. Garoute and her family were even known to host the Vincent family at their Jérémie home. Vincent had been elected president four years before the occupation’s end and appeared an ideal choice given his nationalist views and founding membership in the Union Patriotique. As historian Matthew Smith has shown, Vincent’s nationalist sentiments had wide appeal early in his presidency. However, as the physical oppression from the US Marines subsided, Vincent became paranoid that he would lose political popularity as the nation’s savior from US imperialism. He also lost political and military power once the US government departed. Although Vincent was an old family friend and comrade to LFAS members in the nationalist movement, as the Marines were leaving, the president became suspicious of former allies, using his executive power to monitor and repress organizations, unions, and social and religious gatherings. He was particularly anxious about the younger generation of nationalist activists who were turning toward radical Marxist philosophy.