Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the President of Haiti, states that despite increasing pressure for his resignation and the successes of Haitian rebels along with their threats to attack the capital, it is his responsibility to remain in office. Meanwhile, armed groups of government supporters have shut down Port-au-Prince, the capital, in preparation for the rebels' advance. On Friday, most shops and stores were boarded up. As police abandon their positions, gangs have begun looting the city. Meanwhile, in the U.S. Congress, Democratic representatives have urged the Bush administration to cooperate with the Organization of American States for the immediate deployment of peacekeeping forces to Haiti. A few days ago, a group of Black congressional representatives also called for U.S. intervention in Haiti, having long been supporters of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. In response to this request, Mr. Bush stated that the deployment of multinational forces to Haiti may be possible, but the duty of such forces would solely be to implement a political solution.
Jean-Bertrand Aristide Says He Will Remain President of Haiti - 2004-02-28
Jean-Bertrand Aristide insists he will stay as President of Haiti despite increasing calls for his resignation and rebel threats. Armed government supporters are preparing for a rebel advance, leading to a shutdown of the capital. U.S. Congressional Democrats are urging intervention, while President Bush suggests any military presence would focus on political solutions.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Jean-Bertrand Aristide has declared his intention to remain President of Haiti despite increasing rebel threats and calls for his resignation. Armed supporters of the government are preparing for a potential rebel attack, leading to unrest in the capital, Port-au-Prince.
- Armed groups have shut down Port-au-Prince in anticipation of rebel advances.
- U.S. Congressional Democrats are advocating for peacekeeping intervention in Haiti.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Haiti has a history of political turmoil, and Aristide's presidency has been marked by controversy and challenges from both domestic and international actors.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%