René Préval
PER
Préval René Préval
After being declared president of Haiti  René Préval kept up the mystery swirling around the possible return from exile of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, saying only that the Constitution permits him to come home if Mr. Aristide so chooses. Mr. Préval, a protégé of Mr. Aristide, who was president from 1996 to 2001, has so far refused to publicly address those concerns. Still, Mr. Préval was elected with the overwhelming support of the poor people who had lifted Mr. Aristide to power. In his first news conference since being declared president of Haiti last week, René Préval kept up the mystery swirling around the possible return from exile of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, saying only that the Constitution permits him to come home if Mr. Aristide so chooses. Mr. Aristide, a former ally of Mr. Préval's, was forced out of office two years ago by a violent uprising and pressure from the United States. Mr. Préval, a protégé of Mr. Aristide, who was president from 1996 to 2001, has so far refused to publicly address those concerns.