The Organization of American States (OAS), convened a special meeting this Wednesday to discuss of the election crisis in Haiti. The political arm of the OAS Permanent Council will meet this morning from 11h00am (local time) at its headquarters in Washington, "an update on the situation in Haiti"...

The meeting convened by the United States (which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Permanent Council), responds to U.S. pressure and certain member countries and the UN, on the Haitian authorities so that they comply with the recommendations of the OAS.

This meeting comes in the wake of contradictory statements and rumors that suggest the possibility that the government candidate, Jude Célestin (INITE), second in the preliminary results of the first round, withdrew his candidacy. If this withdrawal is confirmed, this would open the door to a runoff between the candidates Mirlande Manigat (winner of the first round) and Michel Martelly (candidate in 3rd position).

On the ground, the Legal Expert Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) for the accompaniment of the contestation phase of the presidential election, requested by President René Préval, on December 13, 2010, is arrived in Haiti on January 22, 2011. Composed of four legal experts from Canada, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay, the Mission will attend the hearings at the national level (National Electoral Challenges Office BCEN) on the presidential election in order to evaluate the process and make the corresponding observations and recommendations, as well as to provide technical legal assistance on the contestation phase, if necessary and requested by the CEP.

According to one source, generally well informed, the second round could be held around March 20, 2011.


Article By HL HaitiLibre