1978–1979: (Marie-Denise’s Divorce, the Musical Chairs, the HASCO Strike Broken, the Swine Fever Breaches the Artibonite, the Passport Volte-Face, and the Ma…

1978–1979: (Marie-Denise’s Divorce, the Musical Chairs, the HASCO Strike Broken, the Swine Fever Breaches the Artibonite, the Passport Volte-Face, and the Main Danger from a Presidential Convoy Was Getting Run Over): The young president continued steering by his own star, showing much of his father’s skill in dismissing ministers or officers whose power was judged a possible threat, handing out largesse, and continuing to associate with the elite his father had so ruthlessly suppressed. Mulâtre Minister without Portfolio Henri Bayard had immense influence, and it was largely due to younger mulâtre technocrats that demarches in certain areas such as family planning began to enjoy some success. A Dominique family feud, exacerbated by Marie-Denise’s long separations from Max, finally became public in 1978 when Marie-Denise hired one of the leading lawyers in Port-au-Prince to arrange a divorce — Max, she let it be known, had squandered much of her fortune. Marie-Denise’s continued stay in the capital throughout 1978 gave heart to the dinosaurs, who saw in her the legitimate heir of François Duvalier; without the baggage of Max Dominique, might she finally prevail? The dinosaurs’ hopes were dashed as the president, wilier than his opponents gave him credit for, was not about to let his sister’s changed marital status become a vehicle around which opposition might coalesce — despite his mother’s pleas, she was soon asked to resume her travels abroad. The constant game of musical chairs slowed accord on the new aid agreement; inflation, beginning a dramatic rise in the U.S., hit Haiti too now that its economy was so closely linked. Rice prices crept up as drought reduced Artibonite yields. The workers at HASCO who just months before had been allowed to elect their own union leaders found a strike for increased wages quickly and brutally broken by the army and macoutes, who cited an anti-strike bill hurriedly promulgated to foster Haiti’s pro-industry image. Alarming reports filtered in that despite the slaughter of 27,000 pigs along the border, the cordon sanitaire had failed — the first cases of African Swine Fever began showing up in the Artibonite valley. Conscious of both the rewards and threats from its increasing dependence on the outside world, the government sought to please all sides: the Interior Ministry announced that after March 1, 1979, all visitors would need passports for entry, but the foreign travel industry protested, causing an embarrassing volte-face — first delaying the effective date, then rescinding it altogether for Canadians and Americans. Despite the burdens of office, Jean-Claude still found plenty of time for pleasure — hunting, motorcycle racing, and partying, venturing out with few guards and startling several ambassadors by leading them on a long tour through the Artibonite, stopping without warning to query villagers and taking the wheel himself. These days, said one critic, the main danger from a presidential convoy seemed to be getting run over.