15. Francois Duvalier: Haiti’s ‘Papa Doc’
The U.S. largely turned a blind eye to the violence and corruption of Francois ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier’s regime in Haiti, prioritizing anti-communist loyalty over human rights concerns. As long as Duvalier opposed Soviet influence, his brutal tactics were tolerated, reflecting a pattern seen throughout U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. The New York Times notes that such alliances left deep scars on nations and their people.
