Desheummes himself was a member of the feared Tonton Macoutes – and he says he’s proud of it.

“I’ve done nothing wrong or illegal to be ashamed to say I’m a Macoute,” he says.

The militia was dreaded by Haitians, but Desheummes insists reports of rampant disappearances, torture and killings are exaggerated. If anything, he argues, the Tonton Macoutes maintained law and order.

“There were no issues of property destruction or car jackings or a high murder rate,” says Desheummes. “And the economy was stronger.”

From his pink home in Little Haiti, Desheummes acknowledged there may have been some rogue Macoutes who committed crimes. But the majority like him, he insists, were good men.

“A lot of people don’t want to admit they’re Duvalierists,” he says. “What did Jean-Claude Duvalier do? He didn’t do anything wrong.”