Aristides Potential Return - Haiti Elections Archives

Article from the San Francisco Chronicle:
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Preval says Aristide can return to Haiti
But new president reminds predecessor in exile charges are pending against him
- Carol J. Williams, Chantal Regnault, Los Angeles Times
Thursday, February 23, 2006

Port-au-Prince, Haiti -- Ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has the constitutional right to return to Haiti whenever he chooses but may want to keep in mind that charges have been filed against him, President-elect Rene Preval said Wednesday.

In his first major public statement since being declared winner last week of a Feb. 7 election marred by tabulation delays and fraud allegations, Preval was pressed repeatedly by reporters about Aristide's announcement a day earlier that he was ready to come home after two years in African exile.

"Article 41 of the Haitian Constitution says that no Haitian needs a visa to enter or leave the country," Preval told journalists gathered on the lawn of his sister's gated villa.

"The response isn't with me. It's with the Constitution."

Aristide told international news agencies in Pretoria, South Africa, that he was preparing to return to Haiti "as soon as possible" and was working out details with Preval, U.N. officials, Caribbean Community neighbors and his South African hosts, who have said there must be a safe environment for Aristide's return.

Leaders of the armed rebellion that drove out Aristide in February 2004 not only remain at large but have acquired considerable financial and political clout over the past two years.

Rebel chief Guy Philippe was one of Preval's 32 challengers in the presidential election.

U.S. and other Western diplomats have cautioned Preval against encouraging or facilitating the return of Aristide, a fiery liberation theologian whose two terms as president -- the first truncated by a military coup, the second by the rebellion -- deepened racial and class divides and left the country in chaos.

Preval is said by confidantes to have little interest in having Aristide back in the country, fearing his presence would set off new unrest in the slums ruled by gangs armed and empowered by Aristide.

Riots that ensued after rumors that Preval's vote share was being manipulated were believed to have been instigated by Aristide's network of allies and slum-based gang leaders.

Haiti's U.S.-backed interim government filed charges against Aristide in U.S. District Court in Southern Florida in November, alleging Aristide "abused his power and deceived and betrayed the Haitian people by directing and participating in ongoing and fraudulent schemes" involving drug-trafficking and misappropriation of public funds.

In an interview with CNN Espanol after his news conference, Preval appeared to be alluding to those charges when he observed that Aristide and others who fled two years ago "have to ask themselves if they really want to come back and they have to find out if there is any legal complaint against them."

As a former prime minister under Aristide and loyal substitute in the National Palace during the 1996-2001 presidential term for which Aristide was constitutionally ineligible, Preval was seen by many poor Haitians as the best candidate to pick up their deposed president's mantle.

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Preval has been handling the question very well, simply citing the Constitution.

Can't argue with that.

But I found it interesting that he didn't mention anything about Aristide possibly facing charges during the press conference, but he did bring it up for an interview with CNN Español afterwards.

Seems Preval doesn't really want Aristide to come back but he'll honor the Constitution.

Is this some sort of strange precedent by a Haitian president?? Following the Constitution even though you may not necessarily like a part of it or want to follow it??? God forbid, a politician who cares about the law!! What is Haiti coming to??