Prosper Avril vs Vazgen Sargsyan

General Prosper Avril led a coup on September 17, 1988, overthrowing General Henri Namphy. Avril took control of the military junta, promising to restore order and eventually transition to civilian rule.

Avril's government survived a coup attempt in April 1989 by former Duvalierist militia members (Tonton Macoutes). The rebellion was crushed, but it highlighted ongoing instability and Avril's reliance on the military.

Under domestic and international pressure, Avril announced on March 10, 1990, that he would step down and allow for democratic elections. He appointed Ertha Pascal-Trouillot as interim president to oversee the transition.

Avril resigned the presidency on March 13, 1990, and fled Haiti for the United States. His departure ended nearly four years of military rule and paved the way for the 1990 democratic election won by Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Sargsyan founded the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union, a paramilitary organization of veterans from the Nagorno-Karabakh War. The union became a powerful political and military force in Armenia, influencing both defense policy and domestic politics.

As Minister of Defense, Sargsyan oversaw Armenian military operations in the Nagorno-Karabakh War. He was credited with organizing the defense and subsequent offensives that secured Armenian control over the region, though the war caused heavy casualties.

Vazgen Sargsyan was appointed Prime Minister of Armenia by President Robert Kocharyan. He was a key figure in Armenian politics and military, having previously served as Minister of Defense during the Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Vazgen Sargsyan was assassinated along with other officials during a shooting attack on the Armenian National Assembly. Gunmen led by Nairi Hunanyan stormed the parliament, killing Sargsyan, Speaker Karen Demirchyan, and six others, plunging Armenia into political crisis.