Ex-president Preval takes lead in Haitian election

[mom cat]

Ex-president Preval takes lead in Haitian election




By Joseph Guyler Delva and Jim Loney

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters)
snip

Preval, who led the impoverished Caribbean nation from 1996 to 2001, did not claim victory but sounded like a winner after election officials said the one-time Aristide protege was leading with 61 percent after about 283,000 votes had been counted. Haiti has 3.5 million registered voters.

snip

If the initial results hold up, Preval would have the simple majority he needs to win the presidency outright, avoiding a second-round vote on March 19.

Another former president, Leslie Manigat, trailed in second place with 13.4 percent, while industrialist Charles Baker, the main candidate of the wealthy elite which opposed Aristide, had 6.1 percent.
Snip:

The United States pressured Aristide to leave after an armed revolt in 2004, accusing him of using thugs to enforce his rule. Now, after a chaotic but mostly peaceful vote in the destitute and unstable Caribbean nation, Washington may have to deal with his one-time ally, and another potential champion of the poor.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-02-10T044135Z_01_N09131380_RTRUKOC_0_UK-HAITI-ELECTION.xml

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