One of Haiti’s most popular politicians announced Thursday he will enter the Dec. 17 presidential election–the first serious challenger to President Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s heir apparent, Rene Preval.
Victor Benoit, 54, leader of the National Congress of Democratic Movements, caught the country by surprise with his last-minute decision.
Until Benoit stepped forward, Preval appeared to be a shoo-in as the candidate of the three-party Lavalas Platform endorsed by Aristide. Riding on the crest of Aristide’s enormous popularity with poor Haitians, Lavalas candidates won more than three-fourths of parliamentary seats in recent elections.
Benoit, a private high school principal, is widely respected for his long support of democracy. He served as education minister in Premier Robert Malval’s caretaker government in 1993-94. His socialist party is entrenched across the country, drawing support from many civic organizations. But his candidacy came as a surprise because all major parties except the Lavalas Platform had said they would boycott the presidential election unless Aristide revamped the electoral council.
