Aristide arrives back in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, March 18 (Reuters) - Haiti's former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide arrived back in his Caribbean homeland on Friday, returning from exile in South Africa just days before a crucial Haitian presidential election.

The charter plane carrying Aristide and his family touched down at Port-au-Prince airport at 9.10 a.m. local time (1410 GMT)

Aristide, 57, who was ousted from Haiti in 2004 through an armed rebellion, had ignored a direct plea from the United States to delay his return until after Sunday's presidential vote. (Reporting by Joseph Guyler Delva; Editing by Pascal Fletcher)