What were described as ”feverish” discussions were under way in Haiti on Wednesday to find a peaceful solution to the presidential election deadlock. René Préval, the former president and leading candidate by a very wide margin, declared on Wednesday that he should be acknowledged as the rightful winner without recourse to a run-off election.
Brazil, whose military leads the United Nations peacekeeping force in the country, also called for Préval to be declared the winner. ”Considering the existing climate in the country, that would be the best solution,” President Lula da Silva’s chief foreign relations adviser, Marco Aurelio Garcia, told reporters in Brasilia.
The move would enjoy the unanimous support of the international community, he said.
With more than 90% of votes from the February 7 election counted, Préval has 48,7% of the total, well ahead of the next candidates, Leslie Manigat, with 11,8%, and Charlito Baker, on 7,9%, but just short of the total needed to avoid a run-off. Préval’s supporters have blocked roads, claiming the Haitian elite was trying to defraud their candidate of victory after it emerged there were 120 000 void ballots and 85 000 blank ones.
Frantic discussions at a number of levels between candidates, the UN, foreign embassies and Haitian election officials were taking place on Wednesday to resolve the issue. The UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and the United States Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, have both been contacted.
Most neutral parties accept Préval has won and are anxious to avoid further angry demonstrations if it is deemed that he has not passed the 50% mark
Préval claimed he is the victim of fraud but called on supporters to halt their street blockades. ”Continue to protest according to the Constitution,” he said, ”but with respect for the rights of others to go to work, to take care of their business.”
He added: ”Do not fall in the trap set by those people. Watch for agitators, infiltrators. Continue to protest, but with intelligence, legally, with respect. Do not attack people, respect the property of others, respect private property. Do all that so we can win the political battle.”
Some of the losing 32 candidates have already called for Préval to be accepted as president. There are fears that if he is denied victory now, many of his supporters would boycott a run-off election.
Counting of the remaining 8% of votes still not completed has been halted because of the unrest. Election officials have agreed to delay announcing a final result while the fraud claims are investigated. — Guardian Unlimited Â