Hundreds of Haitians on Friday celebrated in the Haitian capital the return of former President Jean Bertrand Aristide, who had been in exile in South Africa since seven years ago.

According to information reaching here, when Aristide arrived in Toussaint Louverture airport, the people went there to welcome him, so the streets of Port-au-Prince were full of cars and people choiring joyful slogans to support him.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Minustah) deployed a large number of security forces in the city in order to avoid violent actions.

Outside the airport, it was set a stage where Aristide gave a speech, where he talked about the grave poverty situation, the drug trafficking, the political instability and the social exclusion in Haiti -- problems which he said have to be solved for the country to recover its peace.

Aristide urged the Haitians to "end with the exile and coups," to be united for reconciliation, and thanked the Cuban government for the medical assistance to Haiti during the cholera epidemic last year.

Aristide arrived in Haiti, accompanied by his wife, his two daughters and U.S. actor Danny Glover.

Aristide was president for few months in 1991 after the downfall of Duvalier. He reclaimed presidency in 1994, and ruled from that year to 1996 and from 2001 to 2004.

He went to exile in South Africa on Feb. 29, 2004 due to a internal armed conflict and the international pressure.

His return came just two days before Sunday's presidential runoff in Haiti.