Fanmi Lavalas, a bourgeois party, is popular among Haitian working people because of its origins in the successful revolution against the dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier. Aristide helped lead the struggle and founded the Lavalas movement. In February 1991 he became the first elected president after the fall of Duvalier, coming to power at the head of enormous popular mobilizations.

The U.S. government, which had always been a close ally of Duvalier, was worried that the new president would not contain the volatile situation. On Sept. 30, 1991, Aristide was overthrown by a group of high ranking officers, many of whom were on the CIA payroll.

In 1994 the U.S. government invaded Haiti, ousting the military government and reinstalling Aristide as president. By accepting U.S. sponsorship, Aristide severely weakened the struggle of the workers and farmers, and legitimized a humiliating occupation of the country by an imperialist army.

Leaders of the right-wing opposition to Aristide, who are afraid of the expectations aroused among working people by Aristide's populism, have used the last few years to try to undermine his support.

Washington expressed its dissatisfaction with Aristide's recent reelection by sending only its resident ambassador, rather than a high-level representative, to the inauguration. Paris, with investments in and close economic ties to Haiti, took a similar approach. The U.S. State Department issued a "travel warning" February 5, claiming that "the Presidential inauguration of Jean-Bertrand Aristide slated for Feb. 7, 2001 has the potential to spark violent demonstrations and individual acts of violence."

The only head of state scheduled to be present at the ceremony, Hypolito Mejia, president of the neighboring Dominican Republic, pulled out at the last minute, citing concerns over his safety.

The international press coverage played up a counter event organized by a coalition of 15 parties opposed to Fanmi Lavalas called the Democratic Convergence. They refused to recognize the legitimacy of the elections of November 26, calling them fraudulent. Their counterinaugural installed Gérard Gourgue as president of a "provisional government." Gourgue was minister of justice under the Duvalierist regime of Gen. Henri Namphy, who was appointed to head the government after Duvalier fled the country in February 1986.

In a speech before 200 people, Gourgue called for the reestablishment of the old army that was broken up after the U.S. occupation, and the return of the exiles.

Leaders of the opposition parties called for an uprising against the inauguration of Aristide. These parties grew out of the ruling classes of Haiti with strong ties to the old regime and the military.

According to a front page article in the February 2 Washington Post, the Democratic Convergence was formed "with help from the International Republican Institute," an organization "closely identified with the U.S. Republican Party." The article quotes members of the convergence calling for a new U.S. military occupation of Haiti as "the cleanest solution."

In his inaugural address, Aristide pointed to a "partnership" between private companies and the state as the way to reduce the level of unemployment from 60 to 45 percent. He also pledged to create 500,000 new jobs. He set a goal of increasing the access of rural communities to potable water from 16 to 70 percent, and in the cities from 44 to 80 percent. He put forward the goal of increasing access to medical services from 45 to 80 percent of the population and the literacy rate from 45 to 80 percent.

Aristide singled out the Cuban contingent of doctors, greeting them in Spanish.

One reflection of the high expectations Haitian working people have of the new Aristide presidency is the determination expressed by a 28-year-old construction worker who told the Associated Press on inauguration day, "We planted the seed, and now it's time to reap what's sown. We want to make sure all the work we've done for Aristide pays off."

One 30-year-old Haitian worker in South Florida, who asked that his name not be published, said, "Aristide is a good guy. I support him but I won't celebrate until things are fixed."

Briefly speaking in English, Aristide referred to the eight-point program he agreed to in a December meeting with Anthony Lake, outgoing president Clinton's special envoy to Haiti.

He pledged to abide by these commitments, which include seeking out a "new dialogue with international financial institutions" to secure private investment and promote a free market.

A street festival celebrated Aristide's inauguration outside the headquarters of Ve Ye Yo in Miami. The gathering was upbeat and confident, despite the slap in the face dealt to the new government and to Haitian sovereignty by Washington's refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the Aristide government. Participants watched videotapes showing the agrarian reform program of Lavalas.  
 
 
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