Aristide back in Haiti

Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is now back in his homeland.



Aristide returned to Haiti this morning, ending seven years of exile in South Africa and just two days before a crucial presidential election.



Reports out of Haiti say his supporters cheered at the Port-au-Prince airport as the former president, accompanied by his family and US actor and black rights activist Danny Glover, emerged from the charter plane that brought him home.



Fifty-seven year-old Aristide, who was ousted from power in 2004 through an armed rebellion, is seen as a divisive figure in Haiti.



He is very popular among the poor but reviled by business leaders.



In making his arrival he ignored a direct plea from the United States for him to delay his return until after Sunday's presidential vote in the Caribbean nation.



In his first comments, Aristide mostly avoided overtly political issues but stressed the importance of including all Haitians in national life.