Opposition groups composed of business leaders and labor groups have triggered a strike of businesses, banks, and schools in the Haitian capital in protest to the government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the first President in Haiti's history selected by democratic process. Citing as their motivation the rampant poverty since the 2000 election and charges that the opposition rigging the election. Pro-Aristide forces have been distributing leaflets threatening violence to the Opposition in the event anything happened to Aristide, claiming they are the very forces that staged a coup in 1991 that required US intervention to restore Aristide to power.