Key events in the life of ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide:
July 15, 1953: Born to landowning family on Haiti's southwestern coast. Father lynched on suspicion of practicing black magic. Aristide sent to study with Salesian priests.1982: Ordained Catholic priest in Dominican Republic. Preaches against dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, urging "active nonviolence" for political change.Jan. 1985: Returns to Haiti. Emerges as prominent priest in growing movement preaching to Haiti's poor masses. Spreads message on radio.Feb. 7, 1986: Duvalier flees into exile.August 1987: Aristide escapes assassination attempt, blamed on Duvalierist private militia. Preaches that Haitian people should take up arms in self defense.Sept. 11, 1988: Attackers with guns and machetes burst into Aristide's church, attacking 800 worshippers. At least 13 killed; 70 wounded, church burned.December 1988: Salesians expel Aristide from order, accusing him of inciting violence and "exalting" class struggle.Dec. 16, 1990: Aristide wins landslide democratic election.Feb. 7, 1991: Inaugurated after people quash coup attempt. Fires army generals, shrinks state bureaucracy, backs limited privatization of state enterprises, oversees start of modest economic recovery and new international aid projects. Rhetoric frightens military, some members of the elite.Sept. 30, 1991: Army overthrows Aristide government, forcing him into exile in United States.Sept. 19, 1994: U.S. troops intervene to restore Aristide to power.Feb. 6, 1995: Aristide disbands army, replaces it with civilian police force.Dec. 23, 1995: Aristide protege Rene Preval elected president. Term limit prohibits Aristide from running.May 21, 2000: Aristide's party sweeps legislative elections. Observers say voting flawed. International community freezes millions in foreign aid until results revised.Nov. 26, 2000: Aristide wins second presidential term. Voting boycotted by major opposition parties.Dec. 17, 2001: Gunmen raid National Palace in what government calls coup attempt. Opponents say government staged attack to distract attention from its shortcomings.Oct. 29, 2002: More than 200 illegal Haitian migrants rush onto Miami highway, bringing attention to people desperate to escape Haiti's violence and poverty.September 2003: Protests against Aristide across country. Dozens killed, injured in clashes between police and government opponents.Feb. 5, 2004: Rebels seize Gonaives, Haiti's fourth-largest city, starting popular uprising against Aristide government.Feb. 21, 2004: International delegation visits to press for a truce. Aristide agrees to share power; political opponents insist he step down. Diplomats leave without agreement.Feb. 22, 2004: Rebels seize Cap-Haitien, Haiti's second-largest city, vow to press on to the capital, Port-au-Prince.Feb. 29, 2004: Aristide flees the country, pressured by U.S. and French governments to resign.