The losers in Haiti’s presidential election insisted Wednesday they will not recognise political neophyte Jovenel Moise as the winner, calling the officially declared result a political coup. But international organisations welcomed the conclusion of a tortuously long voting process that began in October 2015 and paralysed political life in this unstable Caribbean nation that is the poorest in the Americas. Moise was declared winner of the November 20 first round Tuesday night by the Provisional Electoral Council, with 55.6 percent of the votes. To check against fraud — the reason for the scrapping of the election the first time Haiti tried in 2015 — the council said right after the election that 12 percent of the ballots must be verified. After a week of checking, the council said there was no signficant fraud.
The losing candidates argued that the verification was not done properly.
“Fanmi Lavalas will never accept this electoral coup,” said fourth place finisher Maryse Narcisse, referring to her party.
Moise Jean-Charles, the third place finisher, also refused to recognise the result and urged people to stand up and protest.
Full Article: Losers in Haitian election cry foul.
