Canadian Elections Coordinator on the 2006 Haitian Presidential Elections

"On a very personal level, Haiti exposed me to the realities of development as an imperialistic enterprise."

The significance of the Haitian presidential elections of February 2006, has been ignored by the corporate press. That isn't surprising given that the results exposed the most damaging distortion the international press reported about the ouster of President Jean Bertrand Aristide - that it was the result of a "popular uprising" against him.

Voters delivered a decisive rebuke to the most prominent people involved in the coup of February 29, 2004. Guy Philippe, the rebel whom the press told us was greeted by huge, cheering crowds after Aristide's ouster, received less than 2% of the vote. Charles Baker, a sweatshop owner widely and uncritically quoted by the press before and after the coup, received 6%.

Rene Preval, who was endorsed by the Rev. Gerard Jean-Juste, a prominent Aristide ally and former political prisoner, eventually prevailed after massive non-violent protest foiled the de facto government's last gasp attempt at fraud.

The Canadian government was responsible for organizing the presidential elections of 2006.

Read the full interview with a Canadian elections coordinator who worked in Haiti, with an insider's perspective on the elections.

For background on Haiti and the ouster of Aristide, watch Aristide and the Endless Revolution or check out Democracy Now's ongoing coverage.

More about Canada's Involvement, here mapped out to help you visualize it.