1986, January 28 – February 6, early morning: (Firmer Than a Monkey’s Tail: Duvalier Unknowingly Delivers Key Commands to the Conspirators, Papa Doc’s Statue…

1986, January 28 – February 6, early morning: (Firmer Than a Monkey’s Tail: Duvalier Unknowingly Delivers Key Commands to the Conspirators, Papa Doc’s Statue Toppled at the Cap While Crowds Shout Vive l’Armée, the January 31 False Start at the Airport, Washington Announces Departure Prematurely, Celebrations Turn to Despair, the President Reads Salomon’s Speech with a Noir Milicien Behind His Left Shoulder, Schultz on Good Morning America Delivers the Coup de Grâce, Seaga’s Envoy Urges Him to Step Aside, Air Haiti’s Cargo Plane Loaded with Bennett Possessions, the Gucci and Vuitton Luggage, Namphy and Regala Show Their Hand, Michèle Screams Hysterically, and the C-141 from Charleston for Twenty-Two): Unaware of the plotting beneath his nose, the president played a card that sealed his fate — seeking to buy time, he ordered the dismissal of several odious officers and the reinstallation of several who had run afoul of Lafontant or Michèle, unknowingly delivering command of key army units to people who would not support him. Throughout the country disturbances reverberated — Cayes, the Goâves, Jacmel, Léogâne — many demonstrators waving small American flags. Mobs began to target macoute property; the army either stood by passively or actively intervened to disarm local macoutes. Papa Doc had long ago said: you can beat them in Port-au-Prince and bribe them in Gonaïves, but when the Cap riots, pack your bags. On January 28, 1986, the army stood by as rioters looted the CARE warehouse at the Cap, then toppled a statue of Papa Doc while shouting Vive l’Armée. Arrangements were largely in place; it remained only for someone to bell the cat. On January 31 the Duvaliers were so resigned to leaving that they actually headed for the airport where a chartered plane waited — changing his mind en route, encouraged some said by Prosper Avril, the president returned to the palace in the early dawn determined to make a stand. From the palace he drove to Radio Nationale and told Haiti: the president is here and standing firm — firmer, he added using an old Creole saying, than a monkey’s tail. Washington, with communications temporarily jammed, assumed the airport aircraft meant the transfer was taking place and announced it to the world — celebrations broke out among Haitians in Miami, Montreal, and Chicago, only to turn to despair when it proved a false alarm. The coup de grâce was delivered Wednesday morning by Secretary of State Shultz on Good Morning America: it would be better if Haiti had a government put there by a democratic process — the regime had lost the mandate of heaven. Behind the scenes, Jamaican Prime Minister Seaga’s envoy had urged the president to step aside during two long private interviews. Air Haiti’s lone cargo plane, loaded with Bennett possessions, flew out Wednesday afternoon; the senior Bennetts were not slow in following; passengers on outbound flights found themselves yanked from their seats as ministers scurried to secure places. Thursday morning, February 6, 1986, Jean-Claude Duvalier abruptly told a startled Salomon that he wanted to leave that night; the French and U.S. ambassadors were summoned at noon. A U.S. Air Force C-141 from Charleston would take the first couple and — what else? — twenty-two others to France. The lights burned late as the Duvaliers tried to cram as much as possible into their Gucci and Vuitton luggage. Finally, almost casually, the president agreed to see Henri Namphy — he still had no idea of the intricate web woven around him. Namphy and Regala showed their hand in the president’s office; as the outlines of what had really taken place became clear, Michèle Bennett began to scream hysterically. The palace was full of macoutes still unaware of the drama unfolding, who once they realized they had been left in the lurch could scuttle a peaceful transfer.