Gérard Latortue

From Freepedia

Gérard Latortue (June 19, 1934 –) is currently the Prime Minister of Haiti. He was an official in the United Nations for many years, and briefly served as foreign minister of Haiti during the short-lived 1988 administration of Leslie Manigat.

In February 2004, the country suffered a coup d'état which saw the removal and exile of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as ruler; Latortue was appointed head of the new provisional government on March 9 while still living in the United States, and was sworn in on March 12. However, his administration has been denied recognition by a number of foreign states, including the governments of Jamaica and St Kitts and Nevis, as well as the African Union. Furthermore, his government has been beset with opposition from international human rights groups and the Fanmi Lavalas political party; an ongoing flight of foreign capital and human resources (especially by the country's economic elite, which, through the Group of 184, had steadfastly supported the coup against Aristide and had contributed a significant amount of personnel to the subsequent government); and violence by and between gangs, rebels, and militants (especially in Port-au-Prince and its metropolitan area), many of whom are either former members of the Haitian Armed Forces (disbanded by Aristide) and FRAPH or are supporters of the Fanmi Lavalas.