 In 1964 Duvalier proclaimed himself 'President for Life'; an uprising against his rule that year in Jérémie was violently suppressed, with the ringleaders publicly executed and hundreds of mixed-raced citizens in the town killed.The bulk of the educated and professional class began leaving the country, and corruption became widespread.Duvalier sought to create a personality cult, identifying himself with Baron Samedi, one of the "loa", or spirits, of Haitian Vodou.