Haiti opens door for return of ex-president Aristide

Jean-Bertrand Aristide

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – Haiti’s government is  ready to issue a diplomatic passport to ousted former President  Jean-Bertrand Aristide, opening the way for his possible return  home from exile in South Africa, a senior official said yesterday.

Jean-Bertrand Aristide

“The Council of Ministers, under the leadership of  President Rene Preval, decided that a diplomatic passport be  issued to President Aristide, if he asks for it,” Fritz  Longchamp, general secretary for the presidency, told Reuters.

Aristide, a firebrand leftist ex-Roman Catholic priest who  became Haiti’s first freely elected president in 1990 before  his later ouster, said earlier this month he was ready to  return to his homeland “today, tomorrow, at any time.”

Major western aid donors to Haiti like the United States  have been wary about his possible return to the poor,  earthquake-battered and volatile Caribbean nation.

He remains very popular at home and some fear he could  mobilize supporters who could disrupt an already confused  ongoing presidential and legislative elections process.  Aristide’s Fanmi Lavalas party was banned from taking part.