Michel Martelly
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Michel Martelly | |
---|---|
42nd President of Haiti | |
In office 14 May 2011 – 7 February 2016 | |
Prime Minister | Jean-Max Bellerive Garry Conille Laurent Lamothe Florence Duperval Guillaume (acting) Evans Paul |
Preceded by | René Préval |
Succeeded by | Evans Paul (acting) |
Personal details | |
Born | Michel Joseph Martelly 12 February 1961 Port-au-Prince, Haiti |
Political party | Repons Peyizan |
Spouses |
Sophia Saint-Rémy (m. 1987) |
Children | 4, including Olivier |
Website | Official website |
Musical career | |
Genres | Compas |
Occupation(s) | |
Instrument(s) | |
Years active |
|
Michel Joseph Martelly[1] (French pronunciation: [miʃɛl ʒozɛf maʁtɛli]; born 12 February 1961[2]) is a Haitian musician and politician who was the President of Haiti from May 2011 until February 2016.
Martelly was one of Haiti's best-known musicians for over a decade, going by the
As a singer and keyboardist, "Sweet Micky" is known for his Konpa music, a style of Haitian dance music sung predominantly in the Haitian Creole language, but he blended this with other styles. Martelly popularized a "new generation" of compas with smaller bands relying on synthesizers and electronic instruments. From 1989 to 2008, Martelly recorded over a dozen studio albums and a number of live CDs. As a musician and club owner in Haiti in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Martelly became associated with the neo-Duvalierist Haitian military and police, including figures such as police chief Michel François, and he agreed with the 1991 Haitian coup d'état against Jean-Bertrand Aristide. In 1995, after Aristide had been restored to office, Martelly's name appeared on a hit list of coup supporters, and he stayed away from Haiti for almost a year. During this time, he released a song, "Prezidan" (on the album Pa Manyen), "an exuberant ditty that called for a president who played compas".[4] However, he did not run for political office until 2010, when he became a candidate for President of Haiti.
After the catastrophic earthquake, Martelly won the 2010–11 Haitian general election for his party Repons Peyizan (Farmers' Response Party), after a run-off against candidate Mirlande Manigat. Martelly had come in third in the first round of the election, until the Organization of American States forced Jude Célestin to withdraw due to alleged fraud. Martelly assumed his position of the President of Haiti on 14 May 2011 after René Préval retired to his home in Marmelade. His election campaign included a promise to reinstate the nation's military, which had been abolished in the 1990s by Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He resigned as president in February 2016. He was sanctioned by the Canadian Government, which accuses him of involvement in human rights violations and supporting criminal gangs, on 17 November 2022.[5]
For the political scientist Frédéric Thomas, the accession to power of Michel Martelly in 2011 marked the beginning of a "form of legal banditry" and constitutes a key step in the process of decay of the Haitian state.[6]
Early life
Martelly was born in
Upon his return to Haiti, Martelly had his first breakthrough in the music industry when he began playing keyboard as a fill-in musician in local venues in Pétion-Ville and Kenscoff, upscale suburbs of Port-au-Prince.[4][13] Martelly "sang playful, romantic numbers over a slow méringue beat called compas, the only music allowed under the Duvaliers."[2] After the 1991 Haitian coup d'état saw the expulsion of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, "Martelly opened a Pétion-Ville club called the Garage, where he entertained many of the coup's main architects, including the much-feared chief of national police, Michel François, later convicted in absentia for massacring Aristide supporters."[2]
Music
Martelly has been heralded as a pioneer of a unique genre of compas, a style of Haitian dance music sung predominantly in the Haitian Creole language. Originally, compas, was the creation of Nemours Jean-Baptiste. Martelly, a keyboardist and the self-proclaimed "President of Compas," popularized a nouvelle génération, or "new generation" style, of smaller bands with few members that relied predominantly on synthesizers and electronic instruments to reproduce a fuller sound. Martelly's live performances and recordings are sometimes laced with physical humor and humorous sociopolitical commentaries and satires. Although he is the most recognized musician and public personality in Haiti, Martelly's performance style has sometimes ignited controversy throughout Haitian communities.
Recording career
By 1988, Martelly's musical talent, stage craft, and his pattering style of compas had gained tremendous popularity at El Rancho Hotel and Casino and The Florville, another local venues. That year, he recorded his first single, "Ou La La", which became an instant hit, followed by "Konpas 'Foret des Pins'" in 1989, also from his debut album Ou La La. During the period of about 1988–2008 Martelly, using his stage name Sweet Micky, recorded fourteen studio albums and a number of live CDs. His music features slow méringue, compas, troubadour, carnival méringue, rabòday, etc.
In 1997, Martelly's crossover appeal to other musical genres was evident when hip hop star,
Political career
In 1992, Martelly played for free at a protest against the arrival of a UN representative charged with negotiating the return of
In 1997, Martelly participated in "Knowledge Is Power", an HIV educational music video with a message about preventing the spread of HIV. His humanitarian work as the president of the Fondation Rose et Blanc, created by his wife Sophia and himself, to help the poor and disenfranchised of the country, was the basis for his choice as the Good Will Haitian Ambassador for the Protection of the Environment by the Haitian Government.
In 2004, following the
Following the
Presidency
After the devastating earthquake, Martelly was sworn in as President of Haiti on 14 May 2011, marking the first time in Haitian history that an incumbent president peacefully transferred power to a member of the opposition. On the anniversary of the earthquake, the incumbent Haitian Prime Minister, Jean-Max Bellerive, resigned to allow Martelly to choose his own Prime Minister.[18] Martelly was quick to pledge reforms for the post-earthquake reconstruction process.[19]
In August 2011, Martelly announced a plan to reinstate the nation's military. This plan was controversial as many human rights activists were concerned about the return of a military responsible for many atrocities in the past.[20]
In September 2011, Martelly formed an advisory board that included business executives, bankers, and politicians such as former U.S. President Bill Clinton, which he hoped would improve the economy.[21]
In February 2012, Martelly's Prime Minister Garry Conille resigned after having been in office five months. He was replaced in May by Laurent Lamothe, the Haitian Foreign Minister.
Between March and April 2012, Martelly was accused of corruption, with allegations that during and after the 2010 earthquake and presidential election, he had accepted $2.6 million in bribes to ensure that a Dominican Republic construction company would continue to receive contracts under his presidency. Martelly denied the allegations.[22] Companies owned or controlled by Félix Bautista had received no-bid contracts worth $200 million, awarded by former Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive.[23] In October 2013, Martelly met with a Franco-Polish arms dealer Pierre Dadak and two Canadian businessmen to discuss a $20 billion plan to develop Île-à-Vache, a plan which came to nothing, but has the source of some controversy.[24] In November 2013, anti-government protests were held in the country over the high cost of living and corruption.[25]
Mid-term Senate elections had been originally due in May 2012, while the municipal poll was three years behind schedule. They were again postponed on 26 October 2014—the day they were due to be held—because of an ongoing stalemate between the government and a group of opposition senators over an electoral law. The Haitian government faced months of protests over the delayed elections. Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe resigned on 14 December and was replaced by Evans Paul. But street protests continued, with renewed calls for the president's resignation.
On 13 January 2015, the parliament was dissolved after its term expired and four days later, thousands of protesters in
On 9 August 2015,
After the preliminary results were published on 25 October 2015, Jude Célestin said he did not recognize them. His criticism was joined by five other presidential candidates. They issued a joint statement denouncing the results as "anti-democratic" and called for the people's vote to be respected. Martelly openly declared his support for Moïse.[32] The supporters of Célestin protested in the streets, together with the supporters of Jean-Charles Moïse's Platfom Pitit Desalin and supporters of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas party the presidential candidate of which, Maryse Narcisse, finished fourth behind Jean-Charles Moïse and also denounced the results during a news conference. The protesters threw rocks and burned tires. The police responded with tear gas and made some arrests. The police also stopped and searched the vehicle of a former top government prosecutor, Claudy Gassant, who is a supporter of Moïse.[33]
Martelly resigned the presidency on 10 February 2016, leaving Haiti without a president for a week. On 17 February 2016, he was succeeded by Jocelerme Privert who served as interim president.[34][35] Amid allegations of fraud in the 2015 elections, Privert created a month-long verification commission to restore legitimacy to the electoral process. In May 2016, the commission audited ~13,000 ballots and determined that the elections had been dishonest and recommended a complete redo of the election.[36][37]
In 2015, Pras of the Fugees completed a documentary entitled Sweet Micky for President and directed by Ben Patterson.[38] The film chronicles the rise of Martelly through his election to fight corruption as President of Haiti.[39] The film had its World premiere at the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival[40] and later appeared on Showtime.[41]
Canadian government sanctions against Martelly
On 17 November 2022, the Government of Canada imposed joint sanctions against Martelly and former Prime Ministers Laurent Lamothe and Jean Henry Ceant. The sanctions against Martelly was a response to his allegedly involvement in "gross and systematic human rights violations in Haiti." Specifically Martelly is accused of supporting violent armed gangs in Haiti that terrorize the population.[42][43][44] A "tormented" Martelly was seen returning to Haiti from Miami 24 hours before the sanctions were publicly announced, traveling with nine pieces of luggage.[45]
A press release by the office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned that Martelly is "suspected of protecting and enabling the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs.[46]
Personal life and later music career
Martelly divorced his first wife, an American citizen, in 1986.[11]
Martelly has a brother, Girard, who served in the United States Armed Forces.
It is believed that Martelly currently[when?] lives in Haiti, but held several homes in Palm Beach, Florida. He lives[when?] with his wife and former manager, Sophia Saint–Rémy, and their four children, Olivier, Sandro, Yani, and Malaika.[47] In 2006, Martelly announced his unofficial retirement from recording and performing, but two years later announced a return to music with a new single, Magouyè, and the video/short film, "Bandi Legal yo ki rive". He is a cousin of Port-au-Prince hotel manager and musician Richard Morse.[48]
In April 2012, Martelly was flown to the United States for treatment of what was later diagnosed as a pulmonary embolism.[1] It was attributed to the immobilisation of his arm necessitated by recent shoulder surgery.[49]
Discography
Title | Released | Type | Label | as... |
---|---|---|---|---|
Woule Woule | 1989 | Studio | Geronimo | Michel Martelly |
Anba Rad La | 1990 | Studio | AP | Michel Martelly |
The Sweetest | 1992 | Studio | Josy | Michel Martelly |
Min Koze-A | 1993 | Studio | Josy | Michel Martelly |
I Don't Care | 1994 | Studio | Josy | Michel Martelly |
Pa Manyen | 1995 | Studio | Josy | Michel Martelly |
Tout Cé Mately | 1996 | Studio | Déclic | Michel Martelly |
Aloufa | 1997 | Studio | Antilles | Michel Martelly |
Best of Sweet Micky | 1997 | Compilation | Déclic | Sweet Micky |
100.000 Volts | 1998 | Studio | Mini Records | Michel Martelly |
An Bolewo | 1998 | Live | Anson | Sweet Micky |
Dènye Okazyon | 1999 | Studio | Geronimo | Michel Martelly |
Jojo Ban'm Nouvel Micky | 1999 | Live | Exit | Michel Martelly |
100% KaKa | 1999 | Live | Mad Dog | Sweet Micky |
Michel Martelly Live | 2000 | Live | Créon | Sweet Micky |
SiSiSi | 2001 | Studio | Créon | Michel Martelly |
Live au café des arts: Vol. 2 | 2001 | Live | Geronimo | Sweet Micky |
200% KaKa | 2001 | Studio/Live | Mad Dog | Sweet Micky |
Rale Kow La | ???? | Live | Geronimo | Sweet Micky |
400% KaKa | 2002 | Live | Mad Dog | Sweet Micky |
Live at Best Western | 2002 | Live | Geronimo | Sweet Micky |
Best of Michel Martelly | 2002 | Compilation | Créon | Michel Martelly |
Totot | 2003 | Studio | AD | Sweet Micky |
Micky Chez Lui (Micky Bolero 2) | 2003 | Exit | Sweet Micky | |
Sweet Micky Live | 2003 | Live | Geronimo | Sweet Micky |
New Repertoire | 2004 | Live | Exit | Sweet Micky |
Babaille Micky Mix | 2004 | Exit | Sweet Micky | |
GNB | 2005 | Studio | D-Facto | Sweet Micky |
Sweet Micky with Robert Martino: Live Vol. 1 | 2005 | Live | Touche Douce | Sweet Micky |
Sweet Micky with Robert Martino: Live Vol. 1 | 2005 | Live | Touche Douce | Sweet Micky |
Micky ap Trip | 2005 | Live | Exit | Sweet Micky |
Sweet Micky & Djakout: Live 2006 | 2006 | Live | Feeling | Sweet Micky |
Jojo Ban'm Nouvel Micky | 2006 | Live | Exit | Michel Martelly |
Sweet Micky vs Dega | 2007 | Live | Arnold | Sweet Micky |
Live in Miami (Ouvè Kôw) | 2007 | Live | Acoustique | Sweet Micky |
Blazin' Live | 2007 | Live | Exit | Sweet Micky |
Bandi Légal | 2008 | Studio | Antilles | Sweet Micky |
Micky & Sons | 2008 | Antilles | Sweet Micky | |
Vin' Pran Konpa | 2008 | Studio | Patrick | Sweet Micky |
Konpa Prezidantiyèl | 2010 | Live | Sweet Micky | Sweet Micky |
Prézidan Éspwa Vote #8 | 2011 | Studio | ArnoldZic | Sweet Micky |
References
- ^ a b Jaqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 April 2012, Haiti president says he came close to death
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Michael E. Miller, 9 June 2011, New Times Broward-Palm Beach, Michel Martelly Is Haiti's New President. But the Former Palm Beach County Resident Has a Dark Side Archived 19 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Haiti's president releases sexually suggestive song targeting journalist". The Guardian. 2 February 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Ackerman, Elise. "His Music Rules in Haiti: Sweet Micky's provocative music moves Haitians with an infectious beat and political overtones". Miami New Times. 29 May 1997. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
- ^ Isaac, Harold; Ellsworth, Brian (20 November 2022). "Canada sanctions Haiti ex-President Martelly for financing gangs". Reuters. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "'The situation in Haiti is going from bad to worse with no end in sight'". CETRI. 31 May 2022.
- ^ "BREAKING NEWS: Michel Joseph Martelly celebrities as they laid to rest his mother, Marie Madeleine D. Martelly, on October 25, 2016". Miami New Times. 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ "Michel Joseph Martelly celebrities as they laid to rest his mother in Haiti, Marie Madeleine De Martelly". Sentinel. 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
- ^ "His Music Rules Haiti". No. miaminewtimes.com. Elise Ackerman. Miami New Times. 29 May 1997. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ^ "His Music Rules in Haiti: Sweet Micky's provocative music moves Haitians with an infectious beat and political overtones". Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ a b "From pop star to presidency". Shenzhen Daily. 8 April 2011. Archived from the original on 27 July 2013.
- ^ Ives, Kim, ed. (20 May 2015). "Has Sophia Martelly truly renounced her U.S. citizenship?". Liberation. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- Palm Beach Postarchived on FindArticles.com. 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ a b McAlister, Elizabeth (9 April 2011). "The Bad Boy Makes Good". Foreign Policy.
- ^ Katz, Jonathan (4 May 2015). "The King and Queen of Haiti". Politico.
[T]he government that Hillary Clinton helped put in power during that January 2011 trip—and that both Clintons have backed strongly since—has proven itself unworthy of that trust.
- ^ Waters, Maxine. Haiti's Doubtful Elections Cloud Future Recovery Archived 19 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine Black Star News. 3 February 2011. Retrieved on 3 February 2011.
- ^ Archibald, Randal C. Popular Carnival Singer Is Elected President of Haiti in a Landslide "The New York Times". 4 April 2011. Retrieved on 4 April 2011.
- ^ Miami Herald, 15 May 2011
- ^ "Haiti reconstruction desperately slow – Martelly – News". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ^ "Haiti: Disbanded Army Reportedly To Be Restored". Huffington Post. 27 September 2011.
- ^ "Haiti pres, Clinton form board to court investors". Yahoo Finance. 9 September 2011. Archived from the original on 7 October 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
- TIME, 14 April 2012, A Year Under Martelly: Corruption Controversy Sidetracks Haiti's Effort to Rebuild
- ^ Ezra Fieser and Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 2 April 2012, Dominican authorities investigating Haitian contracts of senator
- ^ Belford, Aubrey; Ciesla, Wojciech; Gesina-Torres, Endy; Sarcevic, Lejla (24 February 2018). "How a French Fraudster Climbed the World of International Arms Dealing". Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Unit. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ "Haiti anti-government protests turn violent".
- ^ BBC Haiti: New calls for Martelly to resign as deal is announced
- ^ Amelie Baron (13 March 2015). "Haiti announces dates for presidential, legislative elections". Reuters. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
- ^ "Disorder as Haitians vote in long-delayed elections – US News". U.S. News & World Report.
- ^ Haiti sets date for long overdue elections BBC News, 13 March 2015
- ^ [1] Archived 5 January 2016 at archive.today Reuters, 5 November 2015
- ^ Preliminary Results Archived 23 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Clinton's Long Shadow | Jacobin". www.jacobinmag.com. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- ^ "Célestin disputes Haiti election results; supporters protest". miamiherald.
- ISSN 0028-792X.
- ^ "Haiti interim president vows to hold former leaders accountable". Yahoo News. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
- ^ "Haiti panel calls for re-run of presidential elections". miamiherald. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- ISSN 0362-4331.
- ^ "Ben Patterson". IMDb.
- ^ "Pras and Ben Patterson on Their New Doc 'Sweet Micky for President' | Mass Appeal". Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- ^ "Documentary: "Sweet Micky for President"". Yahoo News. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
- ^ "Sweet Micky for President (2015) - IMDb". IMDb.
- ^ "Canada Imposes Sanctions on Haiti's Former Leader and Other Officials". New York Times.
- ^ Canada, Global Affairs (18 November 2022). "Sanctions: Grave breach of international peace and security in Haiti". GAC. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Avant Michel Martelly, Laurent Lamothe et Jean Henry Céant, les USA et le Canada avaient ciblé d'autres Haïtiens". Le Nouvelliste. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Un Martelly tourmenté retourne au pays". Image7 (in French). Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ Isaac, Harold; Ellsworth, Brian (20 November 2022). "Canada sanctions Haiti ex-President Martelly for financing gangs". Reuters. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ Terrall, Ben, ed. (16 November 2012). "Resistance to Martelly regime grows in Haiti". SF Bay View. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- The Miami Herald. 6 February 2011. Retrieved on 21 February 2011.
- ^ Jaqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 April 2012, As Haitian President Martelly recuperates in Miami, armed ex-soldiers stormed parliament grounds
External links
Music
- Sweet Micky: Mon Colonel, music video