Haiti's neighbours endorsed the presidential election victory of René Préval yesterday, easing political tensions after a week of protests in the western hemisphere's poorest country.

The contest had seemed to be heading for a potentially conflictive second round after Mr Préval's vote fell slightly short of the 50 per cent plus one vote required to win last Tuesday's first round. But early on Thursday Haiti's electoral council decided, by seven votes to two, to redistribute 85,000 blank ballots and ruled that Mr Préval had therefore won outright.