United Nations Security Council Resolution 940 in the context of Government of Haiti

Operation Uphold Democracy was a multinational military intervention in Haiti designed to remove the military regime led and installed by Raoul Cédras after the 1991 coup d'état overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The operation was effectively authorized by the 31 July 1994 United Nations Security Council Resolution 940, which approved the use of force to restore the Aristide government.

After Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who became Haiti's first freely-elected president in 1990, was overthrown in 1991, the United States, in cooperation with the Organization of American States, imposed economic sanctions to pressure the military junta to restore democracy. Negotiations brokered by the UN and the OAS in 1993 led to some progress towards this but were ultimately unsuccessful. After that the U.S. followed a dual strategy of preparing for an intervention while hoping it would pressure the regime to give up power. It also sought diplomatic support at the UN, which led to Resolution 940—the first time that the UN authorized the use of force to restore democracy.