Several election offices in Haiti attacked
Demonstrators attacked several electoral offices on Monday and set at least two cars on fire in Haiti’s capital as the country prepares for elections on Jan. 24. Nearly 2000 protesters took to the street in downtown Port-au-Prince demanding new elections and the immediate removal of President Michel Martelly from office.
Jan. 24 election will set Haiti back, Jude Celestin says
Opposition candidate Jude Celestin warned that the runoff election will be a step back for the country’s “fragile democracy” and will lead to increased political turmoil and a divided country.
“We are moving toward a selection, not an election,” Celestin said Saturday in an interview with the Associated Press. The second runner up candidate expressed concerns over vote-rigging and a lack of transparency.
Boycott will not stop presidential vote, CEP says
The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) insists the presidential election will take place on Jan. 24 despite the number of protests taking place and the boycott of the election by Jude Celestin.
Pierre-Louis Opont said the electoral council was busy preparing the runoff contest between ruling party candidate Jovenel Moise and opposition challenger Jude Celestin, who stated on Thursday that he would not take part.
“I can confirm that as I talk to you today we have two candidates in the race and their names are Jovenel Moise and Jude Celestin,” Opont told Reuters in an interview.
“Their names are already on the ballot and the election will take place as scheduled,” Opont said. He said the deadline for a candidate to withdraw had already passed.