Prime Minister Ariel Henry has led the tribute for retired general of the Armed Forces of Haiti, Hérard Abraham, describing the 82-year-old who died earlier this week as “a worthy son of the fatherland.
“I pay a well-deserved tribute to a moderate and exemplary Haitian soldier and statesman. A worthy son of the fatherland, the president general has always been loyal to his country, which he has served in difficult times. The government bows with respect to the remains of this great man,” Henry said in a statement.
Abraham is regarded as having played a major role in ushering in Haiti’s first democratically elected president in 1990 only to be forced into retirement in a purge months later.
Abraham, who died on Wednesday of natural causes, also served as acting president of the National Council of Government of Haiti in March 1990, foreign affairs minister from 2005-6 and minister of the interior and territorial communities from 2004-5.
He also served as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Haiti from March 10, 1990, to July 2, 1991, as well as secretary of state for the Interior and National Defense from February 7 to March 24, 1986.
“I bow before the remains of General Hérard Abraham, military, and former minister of foreign affairs. I had the privilege of working with him during his time at the ministry while I was stationed in Panama. A diplomat and a man of openness, he served his country with honor. Rest in peace,” said Bocchi Edmond, Haiti’s ambassador to the United States.
Abraham, whose career began during the Duvalier family dictatorship and ended with the first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, had a 30-year military career.
“At a time when the state is losing control of the territory and the population is living in a complex and uncertain environment, the country is losing General Hérard Abraham. I salute the memory of this soldier who always fulfilled his duties and served the country in difficult times,” said former presidential advisor, Guichard Doré.
“This soldier with whom I worked at the Independent Consultative Committee for the development of the draft of the new Constitution, was concerned about the serious treatment of the question of security in the draft of the new Constitution,” he added.
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