Haiti Election marked by scattered problems and violence

Provisional Electoral Council Disqualifies 14 Candidates for Insurrection at the Polls.

ADVERTISEMENT


On voting day earlier this August orderliness did not prevail at some polling places in Haiti. Voters had come to cast ballots for both senate and deputy seats, but some 14 candidates running for parliamentary seats caused disruption, even violence at random polling sites. As a result of their actions the Provisional Electoral Council (PEC) disqualified them.

One of the disqualified senate candidates, Arnel Belizaire, was said to have used a firearm, shooting it in the air at a polling station. He was once a former Chamber of Deputies member, whose outrageous antics included bedding down in a room at the parliament building with a gun to protest an opposition action he did not agree with. The media tried to reach him for comment on the firearm incident, but he made himself unavailable. Instead he gave an interview at a local radio station, saying he was innocent of the allegations, and ". . . was not out in public on Election day." Other disqualified candidates were blamed for destroying voting booths, or preventing ballot casting or tallying.

What is yet to be uncovered is whether the disqualified won or not. What will happen if any of them have won? It would seem they couldn't hold office; however, this is Haiti politics, rife with corruption. The PEC is widely known not to abide by their own rules. The Organization of American States has no qualms election results may be false.

Reply to this article

Read more: Election, Election

« Will Maxine Waters Influence Haiti Elections? | Main | Mirlande Manigat expressed indignation and disgust at election »

Return to Articles List

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

E-mail (required, will not be published)

Subject: Haiti Election marked by scattered problems and violence edit

» »

Our objective is to share with you news and information about Haiti and the people of Haiti. Traditions, habits and the way we were  or  grew are alive in this site. We highly recommend that you Subscribe to our Newsletter and also share with us some of the things that are memorable and made us unique people.