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Haiti: People protest on streets as political tension rises

WION Web Team
New DelhiUpdated: Feb 22, 2021, 02:16 PM IST
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Protests in Haiti Photograph:(Reuters)

Story highlights

Haiti's opposition claims Moise should step down since his five-year term in office was completed on February 7 following 2015 elections, which were disputed and the result cancelled by the electoral council

As constitutional crisis escalated in Haiti, people took to streets demanding President Jovnel Moise's term in office to end. Political turmoil in Haiti is due to dispute between Moise government and the opposition over when the president's term is supposed to end.

Protesters called Moise a dictator and alleged that he was being supported by th US, OAS (Organization of American States) and other international organisations such as the United Nations. Protesters appeared to vow to continue their street protests.

Haiti's opposition claims Moise should step down since his five-year term in office was completed on February 7 following 2015 elections, which were disputed and the result cancelled by the electoral council

Moise rejects those claims, arguing he took power in February 2017 after winning fresh elections in 2016 and has pledged to step down next year.

Washington recently appeared to back Moise's timeline, with a State Department spokesperson saying a new leader should replace Moise in February 2022.

Tensions flared recently after Moise alleged there was an attempt to overthrow the government and 23 people were arrested, including a Supreme Court judge and a senior police official.

The United States has said it was "deeply concerned" about Haiti's fragile institutions, although it stopped short of chastising Moise after his government retired three Supreme Court judges who posed a threat to his leadership.

(With Reuters inputs)