PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – Haiti’s electoral authorities will release results next week from the country’s disputed presidential election and set a date for a runoff vote in signs a protracted electoral impasse may be easing.
The results from the first-round vote will be made public on Wednesday with a runoff set to take place on March 20, Haiti’s electoral council said in a statement late Friday.
Political uncertainty has gripped Haiti, the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country, since a chaotic November 28 presidential vote that was marred by fraud allegations and street protests.
Official preliminary results showed a government-backed candidate, Jude Celestin, would advance to a second-round vote against former first lady Mirlande Manigat.
But President Rene Preval, who has faced accusations of rigging the first-round vote results, is under intense pressure from the U.S. government and other Western powers to accept a report by Organization of American States experts that recommends dropping Celestin from the runoff in favor of another candidate.
The recommendation followed a review by OAS electoral experts of the contested results in the earthquake-battered Caribbean country.
On Wednesday, Haiti’s ruling party said it had agreed to pull Celestin from the elections, but he has not yet formally withdrawn.
Michel Martelly, a popular musician who finished a close third in the November vote, has warned his supporters will take to the streets if he is not included in the runoff.
The new vote schedule came ahead of a planned visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is expected to arrive in Haiti on Sunday.
Clinton will meet with Preval and the Haitian candidates to discuss the election and reconstruction efforts a year after a devastating earthquake hit the country.
(Reporting by Allyn Gaestel; Writing by Kevin Gray; Editing by Eric Beech)
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COMMENT: HAITIAN-TRUTH.ORG
The International Community insists on forcing a fatally flawed election upon a nation that experienced an earthquake that took over 300,000 lives and now struggles against a MINUSTAH inflicted cholera epidemic.
The assumption that the three top candidates are Manigat/Celestin/Martelly is based upon 4 fraudulent polls created by Reginal Boulos, close friend of Rene Preval and President of Haiti’s chamber of Commerce. Preval’s idea was to have Mirland Manigat win. Since she has near zero support, among the Haitian majority, Preval planned to control her via his INITE party, the selection of her prime minister and cabinet.
Celestin was supposed to finish last, a clear indication that the vote was far.
It was a game and this game somehow became unraveled.
In the end, Preval lost nerve and pushed Celestin.
The Group of 12 was created and challenged the elections. Even as this was happening Preval was packed and ready to flee to the Dominican Republic. As a last minute shot, he told both Manigat and Martelly that they were the front-runners, breaking them away from the Group of 12.
THE REAL LEADERS IN POPULARITY WERE JEAN HENRY CEANT, CHARLES BAKER AND MICHEL MARTELLY.
THIS FACT HAS BEEN LOST IN THE CHAOS AS THE WORLD ENDEAVOUR TO PLACE MANIGAT IN THE PRESIDENCY – ANOTHER DISASTER IN THE MAKING.
The only solution to this train wreck is cancellation of the election, appoint an new independent CEP, and hold another properly coordinated and supervised vote.
Only then can Haiti have any hope at survival over the next 5 years.
BUT HILLARY CLINTON ARRIVES ON SUNDAY, PREPARED TO SCREW THINGS UP, YET AGAIN.
ABA HILLARY CLINTON.
YANKEE GO HOME!!!!!