Marc Louis Bazin | Former Haiti leader, 78

Marc Louis Bazin, 78, who lost Haiti's first free presidential election in 1990 and went on to become prime minister, died Wednesday. Patrick Michel, the leader of Mr. Bazin's political party, said the former prime minister died of cancer.

He came up short for the presidency twice, most famously a 1990 landslide loss to populist priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide. A coup followed, and the generals who ousted Aristide made Mr. Bazin prime minister. He held the position for a year before resigning.

After Aristide was ousted, in 2004, Mr. Bazin ran against dozens for the presidency but lost to Rene Preval. In recent months he joined other former prime ministers from across the political spectrum to advise leaders on rebuilding and holding elections in the quake-ravaged country. - AP