PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, March 2 (UPI) -- Haitian rebel leader Guy Philippe declared himself the new chief of his country's military forces Tuesday, but said he had no political aspirations.
"I am the chief," Philippe said, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Tuesday. Philippe, a former provincial police chief, later clarified his remarks, saying he meant "military chief."
"I am not interested in politics," he said. "The president is the legal president, so we follow his orders."
On Sunday, Haiti's Supreme Court Chief Justice Boniface Alexandre was installed as interim leader. Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned his presidency and fled the country the same day. Philippe has said he wants to rebuild the military, which was disbanded by Aristide in 1995.
