The meeting was organised by a group of Duvalierists living abroad, including Dr. Frantz Bataille, Fritz Altidor, and Pierre Antoine Baptiste, a former news presenter at Radio Nationale d'Haiti.

"We are ready to participate in the country's next general elections once (President) Aristide hands in his resignation", declared Véronique Mitterand, chair of the meeting.

The Macoutes anticipate the organisation of a convention in Haiti to select candidates to represent them at the polls. Jean-Claude Duvalier was himself "ready to return to Haiti to help in the reconstruction of the country", according to one of the organisers, who underlined that the ex-dictator is "champing at the bit to come first to the US before returning to Haiti."

The meeting took place with a party atmosphere, reuniting brother Macoutes to the rhythms of a song called "Nou renmen Duvalier" (We love Duvalier) by the band Tropicana, while many of the supporters shouted "Vive Duvalier".

During the meeting, the ex-dictator spoke with the organisers by telephone. The participants reaffirmed their faith in the former regime. One seventy-something declared loud and clear, "I am a Macoute and I will die a Macoute".

Some of the organisers adopted a hostile tone in response to journalists' questions regarding the multiple crimes and atrocities committed by the Duvalier regime, as well as the issue of the siphoning off of public funds.

It is estimated that between 40,000 and 50,000 people died during the 29 years of Macoute terror in Haiti. When Jean-Claude Duvalier left the country in 1986 he diverted an estimated US$500 million of public funds to foreign bank accounts.

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(translated from French by Charles Arthur for the Haiti Support Group)

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