This would not be good news. Especially considering this guy who was elected and still in power.
"Over the recent years, the country also witnessed massive public protests over corruption and rampant gang crime. Still, Moise enjoys the support of the US President Joe Biden’s administration."
The dispute arose from the chaotic presidential elections back in 2015. At that time, Moise was initially declared a winner but the vote results were then cancelled after allegations of fraud. Still, Moise was successfully elected next year and eventually sworn into office in February 2017.
Perhaps Biden helped him successfully cheat the second go round? Lol
President Jovenel Moise will not be stepping down on Feb. 7, Haitian
Ambassador Bocchit Edmond told VOA in an exclusive interview Wednesday.
Opposition leaders are calling for nationwide protests in the days leading up to Feb. 7, the day in 1986 when dictator Jean Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier was overthrown. Feb. 7 is also the date that the Haitian constitution stipulates newly elected presidents be sworn in.
Moise was sworn in on Feb. 7, 2017, for a five-year term, the ambassador noted. But the opposition insists the president's term should end this year.
"They know squarely it is not true because they know the constitution states the president's term lasts five years, and the president was sworn in on Feb. 7, 2017, for five years, which is going to be 2022," Edmond said.
The opposition, which accuses Moise of being a corrupt autocrat who has not done enough to curb the rash of kidnappings that have terrorized the nation, says a transition government should take control of the country after Feb. 7.
Edmond thinks that is a bad idea.
"It is time for Haiti to leave that cycle — that cycle of using illegitimate people to replace elected officials," he told VOA. "Every time we have elections, we have to reverse the electoral votes. We have to ask the president to go, (only) to be replaced by a transitional government, which has never served the good of the Haitian people."
The Moise government's plan is to hold a referendum on a new constitution in April 2021, followed by legislative and presidential elections in September. But the Provisional Electoral Council (KEP) named by the president faces criticism for not being representative of civil society, and the opposition vows to boycott any elections organized by it.
"What about those who want to go to elections? They are also citizens. They have the same rights. That's the issue," Edmond said. "But at the end of the day, what I always invite my fellow citizens to understand (is) we will never have agreement on all the issues. There will always be disagreement. But the most important thing is, let us work on what we agree upon."
But the opposition announced that the nationwide mobilization in all 10 departments of the country will begin Jan. 28-31, followed by a general strike on Feb. 1 and 2, then again on Feb. 7 to force the president to leave power.
“Stop fighting me,” Moise said in a national address earlier this week. “We fight too much. We don’t need to fight against each other. Let’s fight for each other.”
Asked how the Moise government will deal with mass demonstrations on Feb. 7, Edmond reaffirmed the people's right to peacefully protest, as guaranteed by the constitution.
"The government will respect the right of the people to protest peacefully. But any society in any country, whenever protesters are trying to behave in a disorderly manner — burning public goods, burning public property — the police has to step in and put a stop to it," Edmond told VOA. "We will always support the right of the people to protest peacefully on any issue because this is a right recognized by the constitution."
There are concerns, however, about the lack of security and possible attempts by law enforcement to target civilians taking to the streets. Protesters and journalists, including VOA Creole reporters in Port-au-Prince covering the demonstrations, say police often target them with tear gas and behave aggressively toward them, despite no evidence of illegal behavior on their part.
Mario Joseph, a lawyer for the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Port-au-Prince, denounced the national police Wednesday as a "tool of repression." He alleged their goal is to force the people to accept a 2022 presidential departure date.
Joseph said article 134-2 of Haiti's amended constitution states clearly that the president's term will end on Feb. 7, 2021.
"The dispute arose from the chaotic presidential elections back in 2015. At that time, Moise was initially declared a winner but the vote results were then cancelled after allegations of fraud."
I see the "sitting President" the one that claimed a coup is endorsed by Biden... so I'm thinking he's probably not who the people want.
Installed by Clintons via Smartmatic, all one needs to know.
This would not be good news. Especially considering this guy who was elected and still in power.
"Over the recent years, the country also witnessed massive public protests over corruption and rampant gang crime. Still, Moise enjoys the support of the US President Joe Biden’s administration."
Perhaps Biden helped him successfully cheat the second go round? Lol
seems like the usual petty power struggle.... he was not due to leave for a year anyways....
it's new year - ppl get pissy - they tried to kick him out
he came into power the same time as Trump - so he might be a white hat of sorts.... just bcse Biden recognizes him means nothing.
https://www.voanews.com/americas/despite-pressure-haiti-president-wont-resign-feb-7-ambassador-tells-voa
President Jovenel Moise will not be stepping down on Feb. 7, Haitian Ambassador Bocchit Edmond told VOA in an exclusive interview Wednesday.
Opposition leaders are calling for nationwide protests in the days leading up to Feb. 7, the day in 1986 when dictator Jean Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier was overthrown. Feb. 7 is also the date that the Haitian constitution stipulates newly elected presidents be sworn in.
Moise was sworn in on Feb. 7, 2017, for a five-year term, the ambassador noted. But the opposition insists the president's term should end this year.
"They know squarely it is not true because they know the constitution states the president's term lasts five years, and the president was sworn in on Feb. 7, 2017, for five years, which is going to be 2022," Edmond said.
The opposition, which accuses Moise of being a corrupt autocrat who has not done enough to curb the rash of kidnappings that have terrorized the nation, says a transition government should take control of the country after Feb. 7.
Edmond thinks that is a bad idea.
"It is time for Haiti to leave that cycle — that cycle of using illegitimate people to replace elected officials," he told VOA. "Every time we have elections, we have to reverse the electoral votes. We have to ask the president to go, (only) to be replaced by a transitional government, which has never served the good of the Haitian people."
The Moise government's plan is to hold a referendum on a new constitution in April 2021, followed by legislative and presidential elections in September. But the Provisional Electoral Council (KEP) named by the president faces criticism for not being representative of civil society, and the opposition vows to boycott any elections organized by it.
"What about those who want to go to elections? They are also citizens. They have the same rights. That's the issue," Edmond said. "But at the end of the day, what I always invite my fellow citizens to understand (is) we will never have agreement on all the issues. There will always be disagreement. But the most important thing is, let us work on what we agree upon."
But the opposition announced that the nationwide mobilization in all 10 departments of the country will begin Jan. 28-31, followed by a general strike on Feb. 1 and 2, then again on Feb. 7 to force the president to leave power.
“Stop fighting me,” Moise said in a national address earlier this week. “We fight too much. We don’t need to fight against each other. Let’s fight for each other.”
Asked how the Moise government will deal with mass demonstrations on Feb. 7, Edmond reaffirmed the people's right to peacefully protest, as guaranteed by the constitution.
"The government will respect the right of the people to protest peacefully. But any society in any country, whenever protesters are trying to behave in a disorderly manner — burning public goods, burning public property — the police has to step in and put a stop to it," Edmond told VOA. "We will always support the right of the people to protest peacefully on any issue because this is a right recognized by the constitution."
There are concerns, however, about the lack of security and possible attempts by law enforcement to target civilians taking to the streets. Protesters and journalists, including VOA Creole reporters in Port-au-Prince covering the demonstrations, say police often target them with tear gas and behave aggressively toward them, despite no evidence of illegal behavior on their part.
Mario Joseph, a lawyer for the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Port-au-Prince, denounced the national police Wednesday as a "tool of repression." He alleged their goal is to force the people to accept a 2022 presidential departure date.
Joseph said article 134-2 of Haiti's amended constitution states clearly that the president's term will end on Feb. 7, 2021.
"The dispute arose from the chaotic presidential elections back in 2015. At that time, Moise was initially declared a winner but the vote results were then cancelled after allegations of fraud."