Johannesburg, South Africa ? Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the Haitian leader ousted two years ago in a bloody coup, said Tuesday he wants to return home from his exile in South Africa following his former protege’s recent election as president.

In an interview with South African state television in Johannesburg, Aristide said he wanted to avoid politics and concentrate on promoting education in Haiti, where some 80 percent of people are illiterate.

“I do believe I will be back as soon as possible and I will continue to invest in education,” Aristide said.

The United States and other countries have warned Aristide’s return could destabilize the Caribbean country as it tries to emerge from years of violence.