PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP):
HAITIANS CELEBRATED in the streets yesterday as word quickly spread that René Preval will be Haiti's next president.
A former Haitian leader with a huge following among the poor, Preval was declared the winner of the February 7 election after thousands of blank ballots were subtracted from the count, giving him a 51.15 per cent of the votes.
His closest rival, Leslie Manigat, accused election officials of breaking the rules to give Preval a first-round victory instead of forcing the two into a run-off. Manigat, who like Preval is a former president, had about 12 per cent of the vote.
SORE LOSERS
"We are not going to be sore losers, but we are human beings," said Manigat, who wouldn't say if he would register a formal complaint. "The right of a second round of elections is inscribed in the election rules."
Preval had been just shy of the 50.1 per cent margin until election and government officials decided early Thursday to subtract some of the 85,000 blank ballots cast from the total number of votes counted, giving Preval a majority, said Michel Brunache, chief of Cabinet for interim President Boniface Alexandre.
There was celebrating in the streets among backers of Preval. They jubilantly marched past Preval's sister's house in the capital, waiting for him to appear.
"I'm so happy, because we have what we were looking for," said Elvia Pressoir, 36, who clutched Preval campaign leaflets as she waited outside the gate. "With Preval, we'll have security, jobs and life will get back to normal."
HAITIANS IN FLORIDA
Haitians also cheered in Florida, where many have fled from the island's chaos and poverty. Speaking by phone from his home in Broward County, the Rev. Gerard Jean-Juste, a well-known Preval supporter, said he was extremely hopeful once again.
"We are praising God for every Haitian and friend of Haitians all over the world who helped us make democracy return to Haiti," Jean-Juste said. "Now is the time when we offer our forgiving hand to our brothers and sisters who may consider his or herself the loser. There are no losers. Haiti has won. We all have won."
The victory declaration at 1:30 a.m. capped a dramatic nine days since Haitians turned out in droves for an election seen as crucial to avoiding a political and economic meltdown in the destitute Caribbean nation. Gangs have gone on kidnapping sprees and factories have closed for lack of security in the two years since the ouster of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
The breakthrough agreement signed by members of the electoral council and several government ministers followed days of protests by Preval supporters who alleged the elections were stolen.
