OAS Negotiators Greeted by Hostile Demonstrators in Haiti

Defying hundreds of angry protesters called out by the military-backed interim government, an Organization of American States team arrived Sunday in Haiti to negotiate the return of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

But Aristide, visiting Bolivia to meet with President Jaime Paz Zamora, said that only a total trade embargo will restore him to office.

“I do not agree with negotiations with these criminals,” Aristide said, referring to the regime installed after the violent Sept. 30 coup in Haiti.

The 14-member mission delayed its visit by one day because of a similar demonstration Saturday at the airport.

About 1,000 demonstrators stood outside the airport Sunday, waving placards and chanting slogans against Aristide, the OAS and an international embargo that has caused an acute gasoline shortage.

Arriving later at the downtown legislative palace, the delegates had to walk through a hostile crowd of 2,000.

In his opening speech, Senate President Dejean Belizaire sharply criticized the sanctions, saying the hemisphere’s richest countries are ganging up on its poorest one.

Ramirez Ocampo, leader of the OAS group and Colombia’s foreign minister, said the delegation seeks the restoration of constitutional democracy.

When the OAS team last visited Haiti on Oct. 7, negotiations with Haitian officials were cut short after a group of soldiers burst into a room at the airport where the talks were being held.

Meanwhile, hundreds of fleeing Haitian refugees are being detained on U.S. Coast Guard ships.

About 444 Haitians have been arrested during the past two weeks, U.S. officials said. The State Department is asking other countries like Suriname and Belize to accept the Haitians, according to published reports.