After 25 years in exile, "Baby Doc" who is alleged to have stolen millions of dollars from the people of Haiti during his rule, surprised residents and government officials with his return. (File photo)PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, - Former president Jean-Claude Duvalier yesterday threw Haiti in a tailspin with his return from France after 25 years in exile. The unexpected arrival of "Baby Doc", as he's known, comes at a time when a cloud of political uncertainty remains over the country.
He arrived on an Air France flight last night with a female companion identified as Veronique Roy.
As news spread of his return, hundreds of his supporters converged at the airport. The cheering crowd eventually swelled to about 2,000.
Duvalier, 59, who is alleged to have stolen millions from government coffers during his rule, told reporters he came back to help the people of Haiti and participate in the country's rebirth, although he did not say what he specifically intended to do.
"I was waiting for this moment for a long time. When I first set foot on the ground, I felt great joy," he told the Reuters news agency. "I wanted to show them my solidarity, to tell them that I am here."
Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said he did not know Duvalier was coming back but noted, "He is a Haitian and, as such, is free to return home."
