Sténio Vincent

Élie Sténio Vincent ( born February 22, 1874 in Port-au -Prince, † September 3, 1959 in Petionville ) was a Haitian politician and President of Haiti.

Biography

Vincent worked after graduation as a lawyer, teacher and journalist. His political career began as mayor of Port -au -Prince. Later he was a senator and minister. Prior to the occupation of Haiti by the United States in 1915, he was president of the Chamber of Deputies ( Chambre des Deputées ).

Nationalism and the mood against the occupying power, the USA led to his victory in the presidential elections 1930. November 18, 1930, he was the successor of Louis Eugène Roy President of Haiti.

In April 1934, he went on a state visit to the United States to negotiate the situation in Haiti, in particular the withdrawal of U.S. Marines and the granting of loans. After the withdrawal of the U.S. occupying power under the Good Neighbor Policy of the new democratic U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934, however, he became the dictator in 1935 his term extended arbitrarily. Because of his personal merits and friendship with Guatemala him the Grand Cross of the Order of Quetzal in 1937 by the Guatemalan President Jorge Ubico Castañeda awarded.

Its popularity began to decline, as it, no response came, in turn, after the massacre of over 18,000 Haitian sugar cane workers in 1937, which was commanded by the Dominican President Rafael Trujillo.

During the Second World War, he tried again in March 1941 to extend his term for another five years. After it became clear that there would be no further extension of his term, he resigned on 15 May 1941 and left the office of President the previous envoy to the United States, Élie Lescot.

Then he withdrew from politics and later died aged 85 in Port -au -Prince.