Yves Volel
- August 2, 1987
- 52 years
- assassinated
About Yves Volel
Yves Volel, 52–53, Haitian lawyer, activist and presidential candidate, assassinated.
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Full Biography
|Yves Volel (1934–1987) was a Haitian lawyer, activist, and presidential candidate. He was assassinated in 1987 while running for office. He was the leader of an offshoot of the Haitian Christian Democratic Party, led by Sylvio Claude, known as the Christian Democratic Rally.
Early life
Yves Volel was born in 1934. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1954, and was classmates with Henri Namphy. He served in the Haitian military as an officer.
He was married three times, and his last wife was Rose Marie Volel. He fathered six children.
Exile from Haiti
In 1965, fleeing the Francois Duvalier regime, Volel emigrated to the United States.
Volel spent 18 years working as a math teacher at the Dalton School, a prestigious private college prep school in Manhattan, New York. One of his students was Anderson Cooper, who has spoken about his teacher for CNN.
While in New York, he set up a refugee help group known as Operation Exodus.
Return and politics
In 1986, after Duvalier fled to France and Namphy had become president, Volel returned to Haiti.
Volel was the attorney who prosecuted Luc Desir, Duvalier's former chief of police. He also defended Auguste Mesyeux, who was affiliated with the CATH trade union. After finance minister Leslie Delatour fired him, in January 1987, Volel sued him and won a symbolic victory for $1 in damages.
Volel became a critic of the Namphy government. Volel was a supporter of major strikes that shut down Haitian cities in 1987.
Volel became a candidate for the 1987 general election to replace Namphy, amidst rising violence. Thirty candidates declared for the election, including many former Duvalier officials. Volel suggested Duvalier officials should have a 10-year moratorium on running for office.
Assassination
On August 2, 1987, Louis Eugene Athis, a candidate for the Social Democratic Party, was killed outside a church in Léogâne by a mob yelling "Kill the communists!"
On October 13, 1987, Volel told reporters he would be giving a speech demanding release of his client Jean Raymond Louis, a political prisoner held without charges, in front of the Port-au-Prince police headquarters and prison. During his speech, he was shot to death by plainclothes policemen. The police declined to comment at the scene. The next day the police released a statement saying Volel had been armed and attempting to force his way into the station, though witnesses disputed their description.
His death was mourned by Haitian author Pierre Metellus. In his honor, Haitian lawyers in Port-au-Prince held a strike as part of "a week of mourning".
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yves_Volel
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- October 24, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 15 questions
Questions drawn from Yves Volel's archived record and the sources above.
1.Who was one of the classmates of Yves Volel at the Military Academy?
- A.Louis Eugene Athis
- B.Auguste Mesyeux
- C.Sylvio Claude
- D.Henri Namphycorrect
Yves Volel was classmates with Henri Namphy at the Military Academy in 1954.
Source: early life section
2.What was the name of the last wife of Yves Volel?
- A.Marie Claude
- B.Rose Marie Volelcorrect
- C.Anna Namphy
- D.Lucille Desir
Yves Volel was married three times, and his last wife was Rose Marie Volel.
Source: early life section
3.In what year did Yves Volel emigrate to the United States?
- A.1972
- B.1965correct
- C.1960
- D.1954
Yves Volel emigrated to the United States in 1965 to flee the Francois Duvalier regime.
Source: exile from Haiti section
4.At which school did Yves Volel work as a math teacher in New York?
- A.Haitian American College
- B.New York City Public School
- C.Port-au-Prince Academy
- D.The Dalton Schoolcorrect
Yves Volel spent 18 years working as a math teacher at the Dalton School in Manhattan.
Source: exile from Haiti section
5.Which famous journalist was a student of Yves Volel?
- A.Louis Eugene Athis
- B.Sylvio Claude
- C.Anderson Coopercorrect
- D.Pierre Metellus
Anderson Cooper was one of the students of Yves Volel at the Dalton School.
Source: exile from Haiti section
6.What was the name of the refugee help group started by Yves Volel in New York?
- A.Operation Liberation
- B.Operation Exoduscorrect
- C.Haitian Relief Fund
- D.Exile Assistance Group
While in New York, Yves Volel set up a refugee help group known as Operation Exodus.
Source: exile from Haiti section
7.Whom did Yves Volel prosecute as an attorney after returning to Haiti?
- A.Francois Duvalier
- B.Henri Namphy
- C.Luc Desircorrect
- D.Leslie Delatour
Yves Volel was the attorney who prosecuted Luc Desir, the former chief of police under Duvalier.
Source: return and politics section
8.What political group did Yves Volel lead?
- A.Haitian Liberal Front
- B.CATH Union
- C.Social Democratic Party
- D.Christian Democratic Rallycorrect
Yves Volel was the leader of the Christian Democratic Rally, an offshoot of the Haitian Christian Democratic Party.
Source: introduction
9.What did Yves Volel suggest regarding former Duvalier officials?
- A.They should be banned from voting
- B.They should be exiled
- C.They should pay fines
- D.They should have a 10-year moratorium on running for officecorrect
Yves Volel suggested that Duvalier officials should have a 10-year moratorium on running for office.
Source: return and politics section
10.Where was Louis Eugene Athis killed in 1987?
- A.Haiti Military Academy
- B.The Dalton School
- C.Léogânecorrect
- D.Port-au-Prince
Louis Eugene Athis was killed outside a church in Léogâne in 1987.
Source: assassination section
11.Who was the political prisoner Yves Volel was trying to help when he was assassinated?
- A.Pierre Metellus
- B.Jean Raymond Louiscorrect
- C.Auguste Mesyeux
- D.Sylvio Claude
Yves Volel was attempting to give a speech demanding the release of his client, Jean Raymond Louis.
Source: assassination section
12.In what location was Yves Volel when he was shot to death?
- A.A political rally
- B.A school in Manhattan
- C.A church in Léogâne
- D.Port-au-Prince police headquarterscorrect
Yves Volel was shot to death in front of the Port-au-Prince police headquarters and prison.
Source: assassination section
13.Which Haitian author mourned the death of Yves Volel?
- A.Pierre Metelluscorrect
- B.Sylvio Claude
- C.Anderson Cooper
- D.Auguste Mesyeux
The death of Yves Volel was mourned by Haitian author Pierre Metellus.
Source: assassination section
14.In what year was Yves Volel born?
- A.1930
- B.1934correct
- C.1938
- D.1942
Yves Volel was born in 1934 according to his biographical data.
Source: early life section
15.Which educational institution did Yves Volel graduate from in 1954?
- A.University of Haiti
- B.Haitian Law Institute
- C.Military Academycorrect
- D.Dalton School
Yves Volel graduated from the Military Academy in 1954.
Source: early life section
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