Haiti postpones presidential runoff amid ‘security concerns’

The protests began Friday morning to denounce the runoff election scheduled for Sunday, but after the Provisional Electoral Council, or CEP, announced that the ballot had been canceled the protesters focused their wrath on President Michel Martelly and the CEP, intensifying their demonstrations outside the council’s headquarters.

There were no immediate details on when the vote might be held. It is the second time Mr Celestin has stood for the presidency.

There has been growing concern that a flawed runoff would push Haiti to the edge of tumult, rolling back a decade of relative political stability and putting the brakes on foreign investment.

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The demonstrators, mostly aligned with the country’s opposition, demanded outgoing President Michel Martelly leave power immediately and that fair elections be held to replace him.

Moise took 32.76% of the vote over opposition flag-bearer Celestin’s 25.29% during the October first round-vote.

Haiti has been unable to build a stable democracy since the overthrow of the 1957-1986 dictatorship of the Duvalier family and ensuing military coups and election fraud.

“What I do not quite understand about the CEP’s decision is that they postponed the January 24 elections, just like they postponed the December 27 elections, without saying when it will finally take place”, Moise said.

The U.S. government, which fronted $33 million to hold the election, said Thursday that it must go ahead.

Opont did not name a new date for the election.

Celstin recently told The Associated Press that Haiti was “moving toward a selection, not an election”.

Opposition leaders said the protests would continue, in a move that will keep up the pressure on Martelly as different factions try to influence the contours of any transitional administration charged with organizing the delayed election.

Celestin said via Twitter this week that he would boycott Sunday’s vote. It is unclear whether an interim government will be set up, or another solution may be reached.

However, his five-year term only ends in May, leaving some flexibility, with proposals including a March election.

After months of upheaval that started with violence and ballot stuffing in an August vote for lawmakers, some Haitians see the delay as a recipe for more uncertainty.

Eyewitnesses said the incidents occurred in Petionville, considered the safest area of Greater Port-au-Prince. We don’t like him because what he is doing in the (presidential) palace is bad.