HAITIAmerican can run for Haitian presidency

Haiti's highest court unanimously ruled that a Haitian-born U.S. citizen can run against 33 others for president.
PORT-AU-PRINCE - (AP) -- A Haitian-born U.S. businessman will be allowed to run for president, Haiti's highest court decided Tuesday, apparently overruling a ban by electoral officials.
Chief clerk Andre Bignon said the Supreme Court's five judges unanimously ruled in favor of Dumarsais Siméus, wealthy owner of a food services company in Mansfield, Texas.
The provisional Electoral Council had ruled that he could not run because he is a U.S. citizen.
But Bignon said the court was motivated by the fact that the electoral council had not produced documents to prove Siméus had given up his Haitian citizenship.
''The court has just ruled that Dumarsais Siméus can be a candidate in the upcoming elections,'' Bignon said.
There was no immediate response from the Electoral Council.
Siméus said his candidacy would mark a turning point for the new role that Haitians abroad should play in Haiti's politics.
''It's not a personal victory, it's a victory for the Haitian people,'' Siméus told The Associated Press by telephone.
``This victory showed that we will break the spine of the status quo that has done nothing for this country in over 200 years.''
The elections will be the first since a February 2004 revolt toppled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the first democratically elected president in the Caribbean country that has suffered decades of civilian and military dictatorships and coups. Haiti became the world's first black republic when a slave rebellion forced independence from France in 1804.
Siméus, 65, would compete against 33 other candidates and is not considered among top runners.
Presidential and legislative elections were scheduled Nov. 20, but elections officials have said preparations are behind schedule and the vote likely will be postponed for up to a month.