Narco News Coverage of Elections in Haiti

After two years of brutal rule by a regime installed by a U.S.-backed coup/paramilitary invasion, Haitian voters go to the polls today to elect a new "democratic" government. Narco News' coverage of these events includes two new items – a written analysis and a powerful series of videos – on the front page of The Narco News Bulletin today:

http://www.narconews.com

First is an analysis by Copublisher Benjamin Melançcon of the likely result of the election. The favorite among the Hatian people seems to be former president and Aristide ally René Préval. Since the 2004 coup was portrayed by the U.S. government and media as a widespread rebellion against a supposedly unpopular president (Aristide), a victory for Préval would make such a lie even harder to maintain. But, writes Melançon, problems in the voting process threaten to obstruct the will of the people:

"The coup regime promises just over 800 polling stations in the nation of more than seven million. Haiti will have nearly 5,000 eligible voters per polling station, while India and at least some United States counties aim for under 1,000... The limited number of polling places – even if one accepts the unlikely, and still unacceptable, 3 and 3/4 mile walk claim – is a much greater problem than at face value given the level of violence in Haiti, including that coming from the coup government and its United Nations support."

Melançon further looks into signs of plans for ballot stuffing, and looks at the role the Bush administration had in organizing the opposition to the popular Lavalas party. Go straight to this post in the Narcosphere, which is being updated as more news comes out, here:

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2006/2/6/84123/15192

Also today Narco News presents a seven-part video series produced by Reed Lindsay, longtime participant in the Narco News School of Authentic Journalism and one of the few Authentic Journalists working in Haiti today. The series, first aired on the Telesur cable news network in November 2005, brings the viewer into the reality lived every day on the streets of Port-au-Prince, and the issues that underlie today's elections.

http://www.narconews.com

Also, if you missed Jeb Sprague's January 26 report on Cité Soliel – the "poorest neighborhood in Latin America," where residents live in fear of a U.N. invasion while the media focus on sensationalized kidnapping stories – read that story here:

http://www.narconews.com/Issue40/article1580.html

Stay tuned – we will not remain silent about what is happening in Haiti, where, with the complicity of the Commercial Media, the worst crimes against democracy in our América are being committed by the Bush Administration and a servile United Nations.

From somewhere in a country called América,

Dan Feder
Managing Editor
The Narco News Bulletin
http://www.narconews.com

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