Protesters riot in Haiti ahead of presidential vote

In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, demonstrators took to the streets on Monday, setting cars on fire and burning tires to protest an upcoming second-round presidential vote.

“We are at the end of our tether and yes, we will use violence because we must respond to their violence against our rights,” protester Joseph Onsy told AFP.

On October 25, government-backed candidate Jovanel Moise came out ahead of opposition candidate Jude Celestin during a first-round vote, but an independent electoral commission later found numerous cases of fraud and irregularities.

It was determined that 60 per cent of poll workers were unable to properly do their jobs, and the Provisional Electoral Council decided to push back the second-round presidential vote from December 27 to January 24.

Opposition members said this was still too soon, and called the first-round vote an “electoral coup” by President Michel Martelly, who under the constitution cannot run for a second consecutive term.

Celestin told AFP he will not participate in the January 24 election unless reforms take place, and is not campaigning.
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