27829: Craig (news) BBC: Preval declared Haiti poll winner

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Dan Craig


Preval declared Haiti poll winner

* Rene Preval has been declared president of Haiti, following last week's vote 
marred by claims of irregularities. *

He gained 51% of the vote after the authorities reached a last-minute deal to 
remove thousands of blank ballot papers from the count.

Mr Preval had alleged that "massive fraud" denied him an outright victory in 
the 7 February poll.

The vote triggered massive street protests by supporters of former President 
Preval, 63.

UN peacekeepers are stepping up security in the capital, Port-au-Prince, to 
prevent any rioting by Mr Preval's opponents, reports say.

The UN Security Council earlier this week renewed the mandate of its 
9,500-strong mission in Haiti for at least another six months.

* Crisis talks *

Mr Preval was credited with 51.15% of the votes, based on 96% of voting 
stations counted, the electoral body chief announced.

"Rene Preval... is declared the winner," Max Mathurin said.

His comments came after officials agreed to subtract more than 80,000 blank 
votes - or just over 4% of the total tally - from the election, taking Mr 
Preval over the winning threshold.

The decision followed late-night talks between the electoral council, the 
interim government and the Organization of American States.

Correspondents say the authorities were keen to avoid further violence over the 
allegations of electoral fraud.

The agreement follows days of protests, fuelled by the apparent discovery of 
charred ballot papers at a dump near Port-au-Prince.

* Fraud inquiry *

Mr Preval had warned of more protests if partial results - which would require 
a run-off if confirmed - were published as final.

The politician insisted he had won the vote, but partial results suggested he 
was just short of the 50% needed to be elected outright.

Haiti's interim government had earlier blocked publication of results until an 
inquiry into the fraud allegations was complete.

The UN Security Council has called on the Haitian authorities "to fully 
investigate those charges".

Haiti - the poorest country in the Americas - was also choosing a 129-member 
parliament on 7 February.

* Vast experience *

The candidate of the small L'Espwa (The Hope) party, Mr Preval was once an ally 
of ousted former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and has inherited his 
following among the poor.

An agronomist who studied in Belgium, Mr Preval was active in the movement to 
oust military ruler Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier during the 1970s.

Mr Preval was prime minister for a brief period in Mr Aristide's first 
administration in the early 1990s.

He replaced Mr Aristide as president between 1996 and 2001. The political 
situation began to deteriorate by the end of his term.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/4718790.stm
Published: 2006/02/16 12:08:51 GMT
© BBC MMVI