Aristide Backers Elect Themselves to Top Positions in Haiti’s Senate

Senators loyal to ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide mustered a quorum in the Haitian Senate and elected themselves to top posts in a clear challenge to the military-backed government, officials said Friday.

The 13 Aristide supporters, after electing themselves to the Senate leadership posts late Thursday, were expected to try to annul controversial Senate elections held earlier this month and organized by de facto Prime Minister Marc Bazin.

There was no immediate response to the senators’ action from Haiti’s military-backed government or from the army, which mounted the September, 1991, coup that overthrew Aristide.

Bazin organized the Jan. 18 Senate election over the protests of international diplomats, who have been trying to broker a solution to Haiti’s political crisis.

Ten of the total 27 seats in the Senate were up for election, and all 10 were filled with candidates handpicked by Bazin. The 10 pro-Bazin senators had been scheduled to take office Feb. 4.

It was not clear how the action by the pro-Aristide senators would affect a U.N.-backed initiative for sending hundreds of international observers to Haiti and setting up a framework for talks aimed at restoring democracy to the Caribbean nation.

The U.N. initiative announced nearly two weeks ago has stalled since Bazin and army leader Lt. Gen. Raoul Cedras balked at its terms.