February 7 belongs to Paula Garrido

On February 7, 1812, writer Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, England — one of the most influential novelists in the history of English-language literature. His works — Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield, Great Expectations — denounced the social injustices of the Victorian Era and contributed to reforms such as the abolition of child labour.

On February 7, 1992, the twelve member states of the European Community signed the Maastricht Treaty, creating the European Union as we know it today. The treaty established European citizenship, the euro as a single currency and cooperation in foreign policy and security. It was the most ambitious step in European integration since the Treaty of Rome of 1957.

On February 7, 1986, Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier — "Baby Doc" — fled to France on a US Air Force plane, ending 29 years of family dictatorship in Haiti. His father François "Papa Doc" Duvalier had ruled with the feared Tonton Macoutes since 1957. Haiti entered a period of political instability that would stretch for decades.