Today in history: 1991 coup removes Aristide, sparking mass migration to the US

On this day in 1991, Haiti was thrown into turmoil when President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the country’s first democratically elected leader, was ousted in a violent military coup.

Aristide had taken office only eight months earlier, on Feb. 7, 1991, after winning the December 1990 election with an overwhelming 67 percent of the vote. His victory ended three decades of dictatorship under the Duvalier regime, followed by years of provisional military rule. His rise from parish priest to president symbolized hope for millions of Haitians seeking democracy and change.

But on Sept. 30, soldiers led by Gen. Raoul Cédras stormed the National Palace, toppling Aristide and plunging Haiti back into authoritarian rule. The coup unleashed brutal repression. Human rights groups estimate that between 3,000 and 5,000 people were killed in the three years that followed, while thousands more were beaten, raped, or forced into hiding as the military and paramilitary group Front pour l’Avancement et le Progrès d’Haïti (FRAPH) cracked down on Aristide supporters.

The political violence and economic collapse fueled one of the largest exoduses in Haitian history. Desperate to escape, tens of thousands of Haitians boarded makeshift boats bound for the United States between 1991 and 1992 alone. Many never made it across the treacherous waters. Those who arrived often faced interdiction at sea and detention in Guantánamo Bay.

The refugee crisis forced Washington to confront how it handled Haitian migration. U.S. authorities hardened asylum policies, often returning Haitians intercepted at sea despite their claims of persecution. Advocates argued the measures discriminated against Haitians compared to refugees from other countries.

Aristide eventually returned to power in October 1994 with the support of a U.S.-led multinational force. But as local reports, historians and scholars have noted, his restoration came with conditions: Aristide was pressured to accept neoliberal economic reforms that weakened Haiti’s state institutions and deepened social inequality.

The legacy of Aristide’s return to power is felt most deeply in the Haitian diaspora. It reshaped the trajectory of Haitian democracy and left deep scars in the Haitian diaspora. Many of those who fled during that period helped form vibrant communities in Miami, New York, and Boston, shaping Haitian-American political life for decades to come. The memory of exile and survival also gave rise to new cultural and civic movements in the diaspora that remain influential today.

Thirty-four years later, Sept. 30 stands as a reminder of how Haiti’s fragile democracy was derailed—and how the reverberations of that day continue to shape U.S.-Haiti relations and Haitian migration today.

The post Today in history: 1991 coup removes Aristide, sparking mass migration to the US appeared first on The Haitian Times.