Duvaliera

A zombie is a creature that appears in folklore and popular culture typically as a reanimated corpse or a mindless human being. Stories of zombies originated in the Afro-Caribbean spiritual belief system of Vodou.
Dr. François Duvalier, known as "Papa Doc" (April 14, 1907 – April 21, 1971[3]), was the President of Haiti from 1957 to 1971.
Doctor Duvalier became involved in the négritude (black pride) movement of Haitian author Dr. Jean Price-Mars. He began an ethnological study of Vodou, Haiti's native religion, that would later pay enormous political dividends
Duvalier revived the traditions of vodou. Later he used them to consolidate his power as he claimed to be a houngan, or vodou priest himself.