The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster

Evens Sanon, a Haitian native and "fixer," acts as Katz's intermediary, translating when necessary, providing transportation, and negotiating logistical and cultural obstacles. Sanon is also a journalist in his own right, reporting on political and social issues in his native country. Sanon's assistance is crucial in a variety of situations. He helps Katz escape the crumbling AP house during the earthquake; he adds a persuasive voice when Katz cannot get a comment from the commander of the Nepalese peacekeeping force; and he proves a valuable presence when navigating the internal politics of the refugee camps. Acknowledging Sanon's contribution to his reporting, Katz says "no amount of gratitude would be enough" (304).

René Préval served twice as Haiti's president between 1996 and 2001, and between 2006-2011. He also served once as Prime Minister in 1991 alongside President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. His political life is marked by several firsts: he is the first president since 1804 to serve a full term in office; the first to oversee a peaceful transition of power; and the first prime minister to be elected president. He was president during the deadliest earthquake in the Western Hemisphere. He was a populist, preferring to ride around Port-au-Prince on a motorcycle and mingle with farmers and ordinary Haitians. According to Katz, Préval was uncomfortable in the spotlight and spent much of the post-quake reconstruction period out of public view.

Préval was a strong advocate of Haitian self-sufficiency, arguing before the United Nations that relief efforts in his country were mistargeted. Haitians were not given enough responsibility to manage their own affairs, he thought, and so became dependent on the charity of foreign governments. That dependence on outside assistance often placed him in difficult situations, forcing him to accept imposed conditions in exchange for aid.

A close ally of Aristide, Préval was forced into exile after a military coup drove the former president out in 1991. The Clinton administration restored Aristide to power in 1994. Préval died in 2017.