[104-10164-10110.pdf — page 7]
# SECRETCOUNTRY HaitiSUBJECT Interview with Clemond Joseph Charles/Possible Duvalier Successor/His Ideas/Friends and Supporters/Interpretationof Current SituationREPORT NO. 00-B-3,260,765DATE DISTR. 10 May 1963NO. PAGES 3REFERENCES OO/CD Case 40556DATE OF To early May 63INFO.PLACE & --/2 May 63DATE ACQ.THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATIONSOURCE: US citizen, former Journalist, who has followed developments in the Caribbean area closely for many months and maintains contact with persons directly concerned with the area.His command of French and his habit of making detailed shorthand notes enable him to report with an unusual degree of accuracy.1. On 2 May 63, we had a four-hour interview with Clemard Joseph Charles, president and general Manager of Banque Commerciale d'Haiti, Port-au-Prince, vice president of the Haitian Chamber of Commerce, and cousin of Joseph D. Charles, former Haitian ambassador to the US.2. Clemard Charles, whose PO Box in Port-au-Prince is No. 5751, told us that he was a man of peasant stock and that while a business leader he has the full confidence of the predominantly peasant population of Haiti, and, that with the additional backing of forcibly retired anti-Duvalier army officers, intellectuals, journalists and businessmen, he is in a position to become the head of a provisional government after Duvalier is removed. He believes the span between now and 15 May when Duvalier's term expires and 22 May, when his new term is scheduled to commence, will be the most crucial period for Haiti. He believes Duvalier is ready to institute a reign of terror, killing those who oppose him, and is willing to accept Soviet bloc help. About two weeks ago, the Polish charge d'affaires left Port-au-Prince for Poland, and Charles believes he carries Duvalier's request for economic and possibly military help.3. As vice president of the Chamber of Commerce, he learned that in early April 1963 a Czechoslovak delegation arrived in Port-au-Prince, presumably to discuss trade matters, a fact which gave rise to rumors that it consisted of military technicians.4. Charles firmly believes this will be the last chance for the US Government to help establish a democratic Haiti friendly to the US and save the country for a Castro-type Communist takeover. Although he has been on good terms with Duvalier, he now feels that the President "went crazy and must be stopped before he liquidates the opposition. Shortly after Charles made this statement he was called to the phone. Returning, he told us that one of his friends had been killed two days before by Duvalier forces. He declined to give the name of the alleged victim, but talked frankly about some of his own influential supporters on whom he could rely with a firm pledge of holding free elections.| STATE | ARMY | NAVY | AIR | FBI | APC || ----- | ---- | ---- | --- | --- | --- |INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORTNO DISSEM ABROADCONTROLLED: The dissemination of this document is limited to civilian employees and active duty military personnel within the intelligence components of the US member agencies, and to those senior officials who must utilize the information. However, unless specifically controlled in accordance with paragraph 4 of DCID 1/7, it may be released to those components of the departments and agencies of the US. Government directly participating in the production of National Intelligence. IT SHALL NOT BE DISSEMINATED TO ORGANIZATIONS OR PERSONNEL, including consultants, under a contractual relationship to the U.S. Government without the written permission of the originator.