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reporting that Port Au Prince has been paralyzed by massive protests featuring street barricades. Though the election was characterized by relatively little violence (relative to previous elections there), this tension is very dangerous. If the coup installed government feels that it can get away with repression right now, this might result in the type of violence that people had been fearing.

The Herald specifies the tension.

The airport was closed, and neither Haitian policemen nor members of the U.N. peacekeeping forces were visible on the increasingly tense streets early in the day.

Dozens of barricades, made from everything from rocks to old tires, old truck chassis and telephone poles, cut off all traffic around key parts of the city although no major outbursts of violence were reported.

The council's last report showed that with almost 90 percent of the polling places tallied, Preval was leading with 48.7 percent of the vote, short of the majority he needs to avoid a run-off. Far back in second was former president Leslie Manigat, with 11.8 percent.

But the delays in counting the vote, plus independent surveys from foreign electoral officials that gave Préval about 52 percent of the vote, are fueling suspicions that the nine-member electoral council is trying to force a run-off.