More than 10 000 demonstrators took to the streets of Port-au-Prince on Sunday to demand that former president René Préval be declared the winner of last week’s presidential election.
With about 75% of the ballots counted, Préval had 49,1% of the vote from Tuesday’s polls, just short of the 50% needed to avoid a runoff election, the electoral council said earlier.
But for a second consecutive day, Préval supporters descended from the capital’s slums to the downtown demanding that he be declared the winner.
”Préval president,” chanted the demonstrators dancing to drum beats and trumpets in a carnival-like atmosphere in the capital.
Local radio said pro-Preval demonstrations were being held elsewhere in the Caribbean nation, including in the central city of Mirebalais.
Thousands of residents of the violent Port-au-Prince slums had already taken to the streets Saturday, chanting their conviction that Préval already had won.
Authorities urged Haitians to await and respect the outcome of the presidential and legislative elections when it is eventually announced, probably later on Sunday.
Should the balloting go to a runoff, scheduled for March 19, Préval (63) would likely compete against Leslie Manigat (75) also a former president.
The partial results gave Manigat 11,7% of the vote, followed by industrialist Charles Henri Baker, with eight percent. – Sapa-AFP