1758. Mackandal perished at the stake:
Feared as well by the white settlers whom he poisoned and set on fire
the properties and plantations only by the blacks, whom he severely punished when they
making deals with the settlers, this chestnut was burned alive, after having escaped during
four years at the constabulary. His legend nevertheless remained engraved in the imagination
slaves.
1990. The provisional president, General Prosper Avril, declares a state of emergency:
This measure, which, according to the government, was taken to protect the gains
democratic against those who wanted to plunge the country into civil war,
should have lasted 30 days. But in the face of criticism of this decision, the
the government had to cancel the decree declaring a state of emergency for nine days
later.
The 1987 constitution, moreover, in articles 278 and 278-3, prohibited
president to declare a state of emergency unilaterally. Any declaration of this
gender was supposed to receive the approval of the National Assembly, which did not exist at that time.