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President Jean-Bertrande Aristide fled Haiti in a private aircraft at 6:45 a.m. EST on Feb. 29. At this writing, he was confirmed to be in the Dominican Republic, but Cabinet minister Leslie Voltaire said Aristide ultimately would seek asylum in Panama, Taiwan, Morocco or South Africa. However, a Foreign Ministry official in Morocco said Aristide is not going to that country, and Taiwanese Foreign Ministry officials said they have received no official requests to allow Aristide into Taiwan.
According to the BBC, the White House was directly involved in planning Aristide's departure, which U.S. and French government officials in Port-au-Prince praised as being in the country's best interests. Aristide reportedly signed a letter of resignation before leaving, clearing the way for Supreme Court Chief Justice Boniface Alexandre to take power transitionally until new elections can be held. However, any new polls are likely weeks to months in the future.
It is not clear if Aristide's departure will lead to an imminent drop in the violence that has claimed more than 100 lives since a revolt began Feb. 5. Haitians are now celebrating in Cap Haitien and rebel leader Winter Etienne has said opposition groups will lay down their arms quickly, but pro-Aristide groups have begun to rampage in Port-au-Prince. Reports from there say "hundreds" are in the streets protesting his departure, that at least one gasoline station has been set on fire and that shooting is occurring.
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