Aristide 'legitimate president'
2005-10-26 23:15
Johannesburg - The United States civil rights leader Jesse Jackson on Wednesday voiced strong support for Jean-Bertrand Aristide after meeting with the ousted Haitian leader, saying he was a "legitimate" president who had been overthrown by Washington.
Jackson said: "The people didn't remove him, the US government removed him."
He said after meeting with South Africa's anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.
Jackson said: "He didn't finish his term. He was a legitimate democratic elected leader.
"I've known him for a long time. We regard him as a democrat."
Political violence
Aristide swept to power in Haiti in 1990, only to be overthrown in a coup eight months later.
With backing from the US, he returned to power in 1994, but fell from grace amid claims of vote-rigging in the 2000 elections and political violence.
Faced with an armed insurrection and large street protests, Aristide bowed to pressure from the US, France and Canada and fled Haiti on February 29 last year.
He had been living in exile since May 31 with his wife and two daughters.