MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US criticizes Aristide's presence in Jamaica

The State Department said this Monday that the presence of former Haiti president Jean Bertrand Aristide in the Caribbean “serves no purpose”, and called for attention on what is happening in Haiti, and not in what happens with Aristide.

"Our concern is in helping Haiti. Mr. Aristide is a former president. He's not a government official. He's coming to Jamaica for a personal visit. Action must be centred in Haiti, not in Jamaica", underlined the Adam Ereli, US State Department spokesperson. "We do not support his coming to the Caribbean. From our point of view his presence serves no purpose", added Mr. Ereli that Haiti is working to achieve a "constitutional and stable democracy". Overall the country "is returning to normality", the Prime Minister is working with the Council of Eminences for the formation of a new cabinet and the interim multinational force is helping to keep order, said Mr. Ereli pointing out this makes us "proud" and should incite to greater efforts for the Haitian people.

Former president Aristide landed this Monday to Jamaica from the Central African Republic where he was transported by a United States aircraft following a controversial resignation which the former president insists was forced on him by US officials and Marines and defines as a "coup d'Etat".

Caribbean countries and some African nations, (including South Africa) have condemned the strange and unclear circumstances of Mr. Aristide (forced) evacuation, arguing he was an elected president and should have been supported by other democratic regimes in fighting the rebel forces, mostly former gendarmes from the dissolved Haitian Army and other characters known to be connected to the drug trade.

Mr. Aristide presence in Jamaica was condemned by Haiti's new Primer Minister Gérard Latortue who said the country is "reconsidering" relations with the Caribbean Community.