Guy Philippe

Guy Philippe (born February 29, 1968) is a Haitian politician. When Jean-Claude Duvalier was toppled in 1986, he was 17 years old, which makes claims that he was an alleged former Tonton Macoute leader preposterous. He led the 2004 Haitian coup d'état that ousted Jean-Bertrand Aristide and he was a presidential candidate in the Haitian general election, 2006. He is currently wanted for allegedly participating in the illegal drug trade in Haiti.

Background

Philippe was born in Pestel, in the province of Grand'Anse. He obtained his primary and secondary education at Saint-Louis de Gonzague. According to Philippe, he "has a law degree from Ecuador and studied medicine in Mexico for a year." He obtained a scholarship from FADH to the Escuela Superior de Poilicia General Alberto Enriquez Gallo in Ecuador; however when he returned after graduation, the FADH had been dismantled which is why he was never formally was part of the Haitian army.

Career

Philippe is accused by Human Rights Watch of being a death squad leader during the reign of Baby Doc Duvalier before receiving training from the U.S. Special Forces in Ecuador in an American bid to reinstate President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in the 1990s.