Supporters of outgoing Haitian President Michel Martelly and his possible successor Jovenel Moise took to the streets of Port-au-Prince to call for elections to resolve political deadlock in the impoverished nation after the vote was previously called-off.
Haiti found itself in a political crisis last Sunday (January 24) when the two-man race was postponed indefinitely after opposition candidate Jude Celestin refused to participate over alleged fraud that sparked protests and violence. Meanwhile, President Michel Martelly is constitutionally required to leave office by February 7.
But at a government event on Thursday (January 28), Martelly said he would not leave the office with the country under a cloud of instability.
“Article 136 of the constitution requires the president to ensure the continuity of the state so as to guarantee the stability of institutions. This is not something that I want, it is something that I have to do. I am going to respect the demands of the constitution. The president can’t get up and leave the country in uncertainty on February 7. That is not going to happen. Uncertainty, no. Consensus, yes. Dialogue, yes,” he said.
There are several scenarios for what kind of interim administration could govern until a new president is elected. One option is that the prime minister take over.
Some in the opposition have called for an unelected transitional government to take Martelly’s place for a longer period, harking back to a violent two-year period after a coup in 2004.
Presidential candidate and Martelly ally, Jovenel Moise, told Reuters the demonstrations would continue until an election date is set.
“We’re going to have non-violent demonstrations to call for a date for elections. This is what we’re asking for. The second reason is so we don’t have an institutional vacuum in the country. The agreement that needs to made is so that Haiti still has an intelligent voice, for legality, this is what we want,” the candidate said.
Demonstators oppsed to a transitional government and who support Martelly and Moise were in full force in the streets of the capital Port-au-Prince.
“We’re on the streets this morning because we don’t want a transitional government. We want elections. Martelly is the president of the people and that is why we need to have elections on March 14, to give Haitians a new president and so that poor people can eat one day,” said protester, Edison.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, has been unable to build a stable democracy since the overthrow of the 1957-1986 dictatorship of the Duvalier family and ensuing coups and election fraud.
Martelly entered office in May 2011, after the constitution’s February deadline, because of a political logjam and delays due to the earthquake. (Reuters)