About this picture: VSN - Volontaire de la Securite Nationale during Francois and Jean-Claude Duvalier
The Milice de Volontaires de la Sécurité Nationale (MVSN) (Militia of National Security Volunteers), also called just the Volontaires de la Sécurité Nationale or VSN, was commonly called the Tonton Macoutes.
It was a Haitian paramilitary force created in 1959, which reported directly to François 'Papa Doc' Duvalier and his son, Jean-Claude, until the younger Duvalier's ousting in 1986. The new government disbanded the VSN, but some acted as insurgents against it. They took part in the ensuing political turmoil, particularly in rural areas, up until 2000.
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