Gérard Latortue

Gérard Latortue

Gérard Latortue (born June 19, 1934 in Gonaïves ) is a Haitian politician and was Prime Minister of the country from March 2004 to May 2006.

An electoral commission proposed the 69-year-old as head of a transitional government. He accepted the call and returned from exile in Florida a day later . Latortue replaces his predecessor Yvon Neptune , who led the government under the ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide .

Latortue studied in Paris and was from 1961 professor at the law faculty in Port-au-Prince . In 1963 he fled into exile from the dictator François Duvalier . During his years abroad, he worked, among other things, as a professor of economics at the Interamerican University in Puerto Rico and as a senior official at the UN Organization for Industrial Development ( UNIDO ). It was not until 1988 that he returned to Haiti from his exile in Florida , USA , and became foreign minister in the cabinet of President Leslie Manigat, who was overthrown by the military after a few months. Most recently, he was Director General of the Association of Universities and Research Centers of the Caribbean and also TV presenter for programs in the Haitian Creole language in Miami.

Latortue's stated goal was to lead a government of national reconciliation. In his first public appearance after the election as prime minister, he was enthusiastically welcomed by 3,000 people in his hometown of Gonaïves on March 21, 2004. He held a minute's silence for all victims of the revolution and promised the citizens of the city drinking water and the building of houses.