Rebels advance on Haiti’s capital

CAP-HAITIEN, Haiti — Rebels yesterday captured Haiti’s second-largest city with little resistance, claiming Cap-Haitien as their biggest prize in a two-week uprising that has driven government forces from half the country.

The fighters shot celebratory rounds into the air as residents looted and torched buildings, sending a pall of black smoke over the city of 500,000.

Flush with victory after the takeover, rebel leader Guy Philippe said he was setting his sights on the capital, Port-au-Prince.

“I think that in less than 15 days we will control all of Haiti,” Mr. Philippe told two foreign reporters in a Cap-Haitien hotel room as he swigged from a bottle of Prestige beer.

The rebel leader earlier had vowed to take the capital during carnival festivities that extend through tomorrow night.He told reporters that rebels in the capital are waiting for the signal to attack.

The capture of Cap-Haitien leaves less than half of Haiti under control of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s central government. As that reality set in yesterday, panic spread in Port-au-Prince.

Sources close to the Aristide government said several Cabinet ministers were asking friends for places to hide in case the capital is attacked.

Mr. Aristide, wildly popular when he became Haiti’s first freely elected leader in 1990, has lost support since flawed legislative elections in 2000 that led international donors to freeze millions of dollars in aid.

Opponents accuse the president of breaking promises to help the poor, allowing corruption fueled by drug-trafficking and masterminding attacks on opponents by armed gangs — charges the president denies.

The rebels say they have no political agenda beyond ousting Mr. Aristide. But the man who started the rebellion, Gonaives gang leader Buteur Metayer, on Thursday declared himself the president of liberated Haiti.

The rebels have made no effort to install any kind of control beyond halting a near-riot as residents rushed after food aid in Gonaives last week.

On the highway leading into Port-au-Prince from the north, Aristide supporters set up flaming barricades to block any rebel advance.

In Cap-Haitien, thousands shouting “Aristide fini” — Aristide is finished — marched along with about 40 rebels in commandeered cars.

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