Chavez Ready to Assist Aristide

Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, has offered asylum to the ousted Haitian President, Jean Bertrand Aristide, the Venezuelan Government announced.

Venezuela continues considering Aristide as the legal Haitian President, Chavez said. Despite the offer, the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister, Jesus Perez, and the Venezuelan Vice President, Jose Vicente Rangel, said that Venezuela has not received yet formal asylum request from Aristide.

The Organisation of American States (OAS) must fastly take decision on Haiti, Chavez said. Chavez said that he would not recognise the new Haitian Government of the Prime Minister Gerard Latortue and asked OAS for an official declaration on the recent events in the Caribbean country.