Anti-Duvalier protest movement the "Milice de Volontaires de la Sécurité Nationale" (Militia of National Security Volunteers). When Duvalier died in 1971, his son, Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier took over (confirmed by the 1971 constitutional referendum) and the force continued throughout his regime and maintained the same violent presence. Widespread problems of starvation and unemployment soon grew rampant. On 23 May 1984, citizens in the city of Gonaïves began protests against Duvalier’s government calling it "Operation Déchoukaj," () which consequently led to police officers publicly beating a pregnant woman, who soon died. Activists’ listed grievances under Duvalier’s regime, including general brutality against civilians and
Duvalier dynasty after the assassination of Kennedy, relations with Duvalier eased, partially due to Haiti's strategic location near Cuba. Duvalier died on 21 April 1971. During his rule, an estimated 30,000 citizens were killed by the government, and hundreds of thousands of Haitians emigrated to the United States, Cuba, and Canada. Duvalier was succeeded by his son, Jean-Claude, as the country's new leader. Still a teenager when he ascended to public office, Duvalier was said to be reckless and dissolute, raised in elite isolation and uninterested in politics. The first few years of his administration saw him leaving administrative duties to his