Jean-Claude Duvalier, who together with his father ruled the country during an oppressive era in which an estimated 60,000 Haitians were killed, says he is ready to face "persecution" for alleged crimes committed by his regime.
"Baby Doc" Duvalier made the comments -- his first since returning to the Caribbean country -- during a brief press conference Friday evening at a rented guest house on the hills of Port-au-Prince.
The former dictator had been living in exile in France since being deposed in 1986. A popular revolt ended his 15 years as president, which he had inherited from his father, Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier.
There has been considerable speculation about the motives for the younger Duvalier's return. Some theories say he is seeking to unlock a Swiss bank account that houses the final leftovers of his family's once vast fortune. Others argue that Duvalier is seriously ill, or that he has been asked to help shake up Haiti's political situation, which is mired in an electoral crisis.
At the press conference, he said he had timed his return to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake that levelled much of the capital and surrounding communities.
The 59-year-old expressed "profound sadness" for those who believe they were harmed by his government. But he did not indicate how long he plans to remain in Haiti, where he admitted that he could face trial.
"When I made the decision to come back to Haiti to commemorate this sad anniversary with you, in our country, I was ready for any kind of persecution (sic)," Duvalier said.
"But I believe that the desire to participate by your side in this collaboration for the national reconstruction far outweighs any harassment I could face."
Authorities in Haiti have launched an investigation into whether the younger Duvalier should be charged for corruption and embezzlement that allegedly occurred during his reign.
Earlier on Friday, Amnesty International said that it gave more than 100 documents to Haitian authorities this week outlining abuses committed while he was in power.
According to the group, the Haitian government has suggested it is considering whether or not to lay a charge of crimes against humanity.
Some observers worry that Haiti's justice system may not have the resources to prosecute what would be an extremely high-profile case.
But if a trial does materialize, Amnesty said that Haitian expatriates should be given an opportunity to provide evidence in the case.
The hallmark of the Duvaliers' rule was the notorious, sunglasses-wearing secret police known as the Tonton Macoute, who tortured and killed the regime's opponents and lived off money extorted from everyday Haitians.
Hundreds of thousands of people fled the country during the Duvalier dynasty. Today about 100,000 Canadians identify themselves as being of Haitian origin. Many live in the Montreal area, where local activists claim that at least two of Duvalier's former cabinet ministers also reside.
Mario Joseph, a prominent Haitian human rights lawyer who works in Port-au-Prince, travelled to Montreal on Friday to encourage Haitian-Canadians to share their stories of mistreatment under the younger Duvalier.
"They need to file complaints, they need to (testify)," Joseph told The Canadian Press. "We need to rebuild the memory of (the) Haitian people."
Joseph also said that any of Duvalier's former ministers who may be living in Canada should equally face prosecution.
Earlier this week, the Conservative government condemned Duvalier's decision to return to Haiti. But the RCMP has not said whether it has begun investigating former members of the regime who may live on Canadian soil.
According to the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, authorities can lay charges against anyone living within Canada's borders for crimes they allegedly committed abroad.
With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
