Michèlle Canes
Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – As the February 7 date for general elections in Haiti approaches, various preelection situation reports are being prepared. The six-nation group that has assumed responsibility for stabilizing the country, Brazil, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Chile and France will send an evaluation team this Sunday. And Brazil will send its own, consisting of José Eduardo Martins Felício, a diplomat, and professor Ricardo Seitenfus, an expert in International Relations.

According to Seitenfus, Haiti has to be rebuilt from the ground up. "It is one of the world's poorest nations and a regular succession of crises and problems just makes it poorer year by year. This perverse cycle must be broken. What Haiti needs is social and political peace, and a legitimate government." The professor goes on to emphasis that Haiti is going to need long-term assistance, especially from Brazil and other Latin American countries. "After the election the international community must realize that the new government will need a helping hand with infrastructure, from telecommunications to urban garbage collection."

Translation: Allen Bennett