Early results from Haiti's presidential election indicate front-runner candidate Rene Preval has a commanding lead, and may be able to avoid a run-off election.
Officials say Preval, a former president, has won about 61 percent of the votes counted from Tuesday's election. Another former president, Leslie Manigat, is a distant second with 13 percent. If the trend continues, Preval would have a clear majority of votes and avoid a run-off election next month.
Vote counting is said to be proceeding slowly as ballots trickle in to the capital, Port-au-Prince, by helicopter, truck and mule.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says Brazilian peacekeeping forces will remain in Haiti until a new government is formed and can maintain security. Brazil is the leader of the U.N. stabilization force in Haiti.
