The Diplomat
Louis Marie Montfort Saintil, Haiti’s ambassador, has expressed his satisfaction with the declaration of the Washington government on the situation in his country, which considers that free and transparent elections are the only way to come to power.
The Haitian ambassador also pointed out that “we are working with our friends in the international community to ensure that we can keep to the electoral timetable and allow the population to renew the political personnel”.
It is worth highlighting the importance of the words pronounced last Friday by Ned Price, spokesperson for the US State Department, highlighting the support of the United States and validating the timetable foreseen by the Provisional Electoral Council, derived from respect for its Constitution. If you look at our relationship with Haiti,” said Ned Price, “we have consistently called on all Haitian political forces, along with in this case the OAS and others, to adhere to the spirit of their constitutional order. We have urged the Haitian government to organise free and fair legislative elections so that the parliament can resume its proper role”. And all this, “in line with the OAS position on the need to proceed with the democratic handover of executive power, a newly elected president should succeed President Moise when his term ends on 7 February 2022.
The Haitian people,” continued spokesman Ned Price, “deserve the opportunity to elect their leaders and restore Haiti’s democratic institutions. The United States continues to maintain that the Government of Haiti should exercise restraint in issuing decrees, only using that power to schedule legislative elections and for matters of immediate threats to life, health and security until parliament is restored and can resume its constitutional responsibilities.”
For its part, the Haitian Foreign Ministry has also taken note of this position of the US State Department in favour of legislative and presidential elections to provide for the replacement of President Jovenel Moise on the date of 7 February 2022.
