Restore democratic constitutional government in Haiti!

Statement by the Central Executive Committee, Communist Party of Canada,
March 4, 2004

The US-backed coup in Haiti is yet another case of "regime change"
which will do nothing to improve living conditions in the poorest country of the Western hemisphere. The removal of the elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, means the return to power of the tiny clique of wealthy business owners and their military supporters, forces which have always brought only violence and poverty to the Haitian people.

The economic hardships and political chaos leading up to the coup were
fostered by the U.S., which used the deceptive claims of "abuses of democracy" by the Aristide government to withhold crucial foreign aid and loans.

These events are meant to end all efforts to bring a measure of social justice in Haiti. The Communist Party of Canada condemns the coup, and the servile role of the Liberal federal government in immediately sending troops to join the US-led imperialist occupation. We join with others around the world to demand that the removal of the armed gangs which have taken over the country, so that power can be returned quickly to the Aristide government. We also express our full support to calls by the CARICOM countries, South Africa and others for a full investigation into the role of the U.S. in the coup.