Haiti postpones Sunday's presidential election as violence erupts

[Disir]

Third times a charm.

Haiti called off its presidential election on Friday, two days before it was due, over concerns of escalating violence sparked by the opposition candidate's refusal to take part in a process he said was riddled with fraud.
Pierre Louis Opont, president of Haiti's electoral council, said the runoff vote was being pushed back for security reasons. But he did not say when the election, already postponed twice before, would be rescheduled.
The announcement led to jubilation from demonstrators marching to oppose the election. They danced on the streets of the capital Port-au-Prince, but the mood quickly darkened. Gunshots were fired as protesters clashed with police.
The postponement is nevertheless expected to ease unrest after days of protests in the deeply impoverished country of about 10 million people, at pains to rebuild from a devastating earthquake six years ago and to emerge from decades of political dysfunction.
Several western nations, fearing a new era of instability in the Caribbean nation, have been assisting Haiti in its election preparations. The U.S. government alone has chipped in $30 million.
Haiti postpones Sunday's presidential election as violence erupts

That's what we are calling it now a days. Assisting.

 

[waltky]

Haiti president steps down leaving no successor...

Haitian President Michel Martelly steps down, sparking doubts about successor
Feb. 8, 2016 -- Haitian President Michel Martelly stepped down from his position, completing his term but leaving the impoverished country without a successor.

Martelly, 54, handed over his symbolic presidential sash Sunday to the leader of the National Assembly and said in a farewell speech to the nation, "I am at the end of my mandate. He said he regretted presidential elections were deferred during his five-year administration. His term was regarded as autocratic and he was accused of living a lavish and corrupt lifestyle.

President Michel Martelly of Haiti left office Sunday, on schedule but leaving the office without a successor.​

He leaves Haiti after October presidential elections critics said were fraudulent. Martelly's chosen successor, Jovenal Moise, finished first and the second-place candidate, Jude Celstin, refused to participate in a runoff election, which was canceled. Under an accord reached prior to the end of Martelly's term, Haiti's prime minister will be regarded as president until the legislature chooses an interim president, then a new prime minister will be picked, and the results of the October vote will be reviewed. The new president is expected be installed by May 14, said John Kirby, U.S. State Department spokesman. A State Department statement issued Sunday said, "The United States welcomes the agreement by executive and legislative authorities in Haiti to ensure the continuity of governance and the completion of the ongoing electoral process."

Haiti's actions can be seen as averting a crisis, or at least postponing it. Disputes could still arise over the election results, and Robert Fatton, political scientist at the University of Virginia, told The New York Times that "The old military people that are out on the streets are sending a clear signal to opposition groups: 'If you don't accept this compromise, we are out here, with weapons.'" "No one knows who was in charge of these people. Everyone assumes they are in fact armed people and armed by the Michel Martelly regime," he said. An unidentified official of the Organization of American States, which sent a delegation to Haiti to monitor the electoral crisis, commented, "The headline should read: 'A blood bath was avoided.'"

Haitian President Michel Martelly steps down, sparking doubts about successor

 

[TheOldSchool]

People in Haiti need to gtf out of there.

 

[waltky]

Haitian Lawmakers appoint Privert as Interim President...

Haitian Lawmakers Choose Privert as Interim President
February 14, 2016 - Haitian lawmakers have chosen legislative leader Jocelerme Privert as the country's interim president to fill the void left by the recent departure of former president Michel Martelly.

Privert received the nod from his fellow lawmakers after a lengthy legislative session that lasted from Saturday into Sunday. Privert said after the vote he hopes to lead a government that will "foster confidence within all sectors of society." A new election will be held in the coming months. Embattled Haitian president Martelly left office last Sunday as required by Haiti's constitution. Ahead of Martelly's departure, the former pop music star told lawmakers in Port-Au-Prince that he was leaving office "to contribute to constitutional normalcy."

Provisional president candidate Jocelerme Privert gives his speech in the Special Bicameral Commission for the election of the provisional President of the Republic in the Haitian Parliament in Port-au-Prince, Haiti​

Martelly's exit was the latest turn in a months-long political crisis triggered by a first round of elections in October that featured 54 candidates seeking to succeed Martelly. Critics described those polls as rife with corruption and rigged in favor of little-known ruling party candidate Jovenel Moise. Election tallies triggered protests across the capital and prompted opposition leaders to announce a boycott of any runoff.

A second round of voting has since been postponed twice over security concerns in and around the capital, leaving Haiti still struggling to establish a stable and enduring democracy 30 years after the overthrow of the Jean-Claude Duvalier dictatorship.

A man riding a bike passes next to a car that was set afire by protesters during a demonstration against the electoral process in Port-au-Prince, Haiti​

Analysts say the ongoing political turmoil has discouraged badly needed foreign investment in the country of 10 million people - already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The lack of foreign funds has in turn undercut efforts to recover from a 2010 earthquake that left parts of Port-Au-Prince in ruins.

Haitian Lawmakers Choose Privert as Interim President

 

[Disir]

Haitian Lawmakers appoint Privert as Interim President...

Haitian Lawmakers Choose Privert as Interim President
February 14, 2016 - Haitian lawmakers have chosen legislative leader Jocelerme Privert as the country's interim president to fill the void left by the recent departure of former president Michel Martelly.

Privert received the nod from his fellow lawmakers after a lengthy legislative session that lasted from Saturday into Sunday. Privert said after the vote he hopes to lead a government that will "foster confidence within all sectors of society." A new election will be held in the coming months. Embattled Haitian president Martelly left office last Sunday as required by Haiti's constitution. Ahead of Martelly's departure, the former pop music star told lawmakers in Port-Au-Prince that he was leaving office "to contribute to constitutional normalcy."

Provisional president candidate Jocelerme Privert gives his speech in the Special Bicameral Commission for the election of the provisional President of the Republic in the Haitian Parliament in Port-au-Prince, Haiti​

Martelly's exit was the latest turn in a months-long political crisis triggered by a first round of elections in October that featured 54 candidates seeking to succeed Martelly. Critics described those polls as rife with corruption and rigged in favor of little-known ruling party candidate Jovenel Moise. Election tallies triggered protests across the capital and prompted opposition leaders to announce a boycott of any runoff.

A second round of voting has since been postponed twice over security concerns in and around the capital, leaving Haiti still struggling to establish a stable and enduring democracy 30 years after the overthrow of the Jean-Claude Duvalier dictatorship.

A man riding a bike passes next to a car that was set afire by protesters during a demonstration against the electoral process in Port-au-Prince, Haiti​

Analysts say the ongoing political turmoil has discouraged badly needed foreign investment in the country of 10 million people - already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The lack of foreign funds has in turn undercut efforts to recover from a 2010 earthquake that left parts of Port-Au-Prince in ruins.

Haitian Lawmakers Choose Privert as Interim President

Waltky, I ran into this being called a coup. I love google translate. Are you seeing any of that?

 

[waltky]

Disir...

... haven't gotten that impression, though...

... interim appointment may have been done to forestall a coup.

 

[Disir]

Disir...

... haven't gotten that impression, though...

... interim appointment may have been done to forestall a coup.

Can you read this? I am trying to get out of an entire copy pasta but the translation is kind of horrific.
Google Translate

 

[waltky]

Sounds like...

It may well be that after coming to power Privert that seeks to return the parliament and call general elections. ... is at the heart of the matter...

Especially since...

It is only hoped that the tabula rasa will come from the street, a concrete which should be controlled by true patriots, but rather is directed by drug dealers and embezzlers of public treasures associated with these mafia who do not want to pay taxes. ... would only keep the status quo of instability and conflict within the country.

Yea, Google doesn't do much of a job of translation...

... might try it through one of the other online translators.