=?x-unknown?q?26906=3A__Blanchet=3A__=28news=29__Fwd=3A_Ren?==?x-unknown?q?=E9_Pr=E9val_speaks_in_public_for_the_first?==?x-unknown?q?_time_since_the_launching_of_the_electoral_?==?x-unknown?q?campaign_=28fwd=29?=

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Max Blanchet <MaxBlanchet@worldnet.att.net>
      Ren=E9 Pr=E9val speaks in public for the first time since the =
launching of the electoral campaign
      Posted on December 13, 2005
      Translated by Max Blanchet

      Former president and current candidate to the presidency Ren=E9 =
Pr=E9val, whose first pronouncement in his campaign was awaited with =
excitement, especially in political and media circles, put an end in =
Jacmel in the South East to his long silence.

      "I am a candidate in order to have the constitution respected; =
'President Aristide', as any other political exile, can return to the =
country whenever he wishes," he declared on the occasion of a visit to =
Jacmel where he launched his campaign officially on December 13, 2005.
      This is the first time the candidate running under the banner of =
LESPWA spoke since the start of the electoral campaign in October.  =
Posters and multimedia publicity inviting the public to vote for him =
have been, however, in evidence for weeks throughout the country.=20

      Quoting articles 41.1 and 42 of the Constitution, former President =
Pr=E9val stated that 'President Aristide' , the head of state deposed on =
February 29,  2004 and in exile in South Africa, could return to Haiti =
whenever he wished. He acknowledged , however, that "the return of =
Aristide does not depend on me."

      LESPWA's candidate has invited those who criticize his management =
of the country from 1996 until 2001, to go to court.=20

      When questioned about the violence prevailing in Cit=E9 Soleil, =
Ren=E9 Pr=E9val indicated that this was the consequence of exclusion and =
so long as this situation continues things will not get better in the =
largest slum in the country. The former president denounced, without =
naming names, those sectors whose discourse feeds the violence in Cit=E9 =
Soleil.=20

      Ren=E9 Pr=E9val identified insecurity as the first problem of the =
country and promised to find a solution once in power "with =
intelligence, through dialogue and with force if necessary." Ren=E9 =
Pr=E9val's visit to Jacmel constitutes  the first appearance of the =
candidate who to date had snubbed several invitations to participate in =
debates and refused to speak to the media.=20

      On Monday he had gone to the Dominican Embassy in Port-au-Prince =
to participate in a meeting of presidential candidates and members of =
civil society with Dominican President Leonel Fern=E1ndez who was on a =
state visit to Haiti.=20

      That visit was cancelled following Mr. Fern=E1ndez's decision to =
shorten his visit on account of violent acts registered in =
Port-au-Prince in protest to his presence in the country. =20