May 14, 2006: New Haitian President Rene Preval was sworn in. He replaces President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was driven out of office in February, 2004. The country is still in chaos, as it has been for most of its two hundred year history. Nothing is expected to change. Crime rates, especially kidnapping, remain high. Political gangs still rule much of the country, with police and peacekeepers are unable to enforce the law.
May 11, 2006: The UN completed the first census of Haiti in over two decades. The unemployment rate is 33 percent and half the population is 20 years or younger.
May 9, 2006: Parliament met for the first time in two years.
April 22, 2006: Only about 15 percent of voters turned out for the second round of parliamentary elections. During the first round in February, only one of the thousand candidates received enough votes to be elected outright. Most Haitians expect little from their elected officials.
