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Empresas y finanzas

U.N. peacekeeper shot dead in Haiti


    PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - A U.N. peacekeeper from Nigeria was shot to death in the Haitian capital on Saturday as tensions fuelled by riots over food prices continued to simmer in the Caribbean country, a police officer and a Nigerian U.N. military officer said.

    The Haitian police officer, who did not want to be named,said the U.N. peacekeeper was struck by gunfire near the mainCatholic cathedral in downtown Port-au-Prince.

    A Nigerian commander of U.N. troops at the scene, who didnot want to be identified because he was not authorized tospeak to the media, said the victim was a 36-year-old Nigeriansoldier.

    The circumstances of the shooting were not immediatelyclear.

    Port-au-Prince has been relatively tranquil since PresidentRene Preval called on protesters on Wednesday to stop riotingover soaring food prices. At least five people died during aweek of violence in which U.N. troops battled demonstrators.

    Opposition senators on Saturday voted to fire theimpoverished country's prime minister over the sky-rocketingcost of food, which has had a painful impact in countries likeHaiti, where most people earn less than $2 (1.01 pounds) a day.

    A U.N. spokesman was not available for comment.

    There are about 9,000 Brazilian-led U.N. peacekeepers andcivilian police in Haiti. The force was sent in after PresidentJean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted in an armed rebellion in2004.

    (Reporting by Joseph Guyler Delva, Writing by MichaelChristie)