Latin American leaders have warned that Haiti was in danger of being turned into a US military base after the commander of US forces in the earthquake-devastated country declared that his 15,000 soldiers "will stay as long as is necessary."
US Colonel Gregory Kane's declaration at a news conference in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince was greeted with universal condemnation from presidents and ministers throughout the hemisphere.
Bolivian President Evo Morales pointed out that the US military had recently secured an agreement to use seven ports and airports in Colombia and still used bases in Panama, Cuba and Honduras.
He questioned why the US needed "to occupy Haiti as well.
"I want to express the indignation of the Bolivian people at the US government's decision to send troops instead of aid to the people of Haiti," Mr Morales declared.
Uruguay's Defence Minister Luis Rosadilla responded to Colonel Kane's assertion to point out that "imperialism and colonialism seem to be part of the US DNA.
"Haiti needs medical supplies, food and drinking water, not soldiers," he declared.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez denounced the militarisation of aid efforts to the thousands of injured and more than half a million Haitians left homeless by the January 12 earthquake, which also killed as many as 200,000 people.
"The empire is shamelessly taking over Haiti over the corpses and the tears of the Haitian people," he stated, while France's Secretary of State for Co-operation Alain Joyandet urged the UN to rein in the US and "clarify its role in Haiti.
"The purpose of US involvement should not be to occupy the country, but to bring it back to life," he stressed.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega pointed out that the US military had entered Haiti, taking control of its airport and the presidential palace, without consulting either the Organisation of American States or the UN.
"They are manipulating a tragedy to install US troops in Haiti and I believe that President Obama is using the military to act in the interests of the large US companies that are enriched by money spent on war and arms," he emphasised.
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