Haiti's highest court has ruled a Haitian-American businessman may run for president.
Five Supreme Court judges Tuesday unanimously ruled that Dumarsais Simeus could be included on a list of presidential candidates. This overruled a decision by electoral authorities in September to bar his election run on the grounds that he holds U.S. citizenship.
Mr. Simeus argued that he was born in Haiti and his citizenship should not be an issue.
In an exclusive interview with VOA, Mr. Simeus heralded the Supreme Court's ruling as a great decision for Haitian people around the world. He added he was not surprised by the outcome.
Mr. Simeus has lived in the United States for more than 40 years and owns one of the country's largest black-owned businesses, Texas-based Simeus Foods International.
November's election will be the first since President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's ouster in February 2004.