Haiti Announces Manigat-Martelly Runoff
VOA News February 03, 2011
Haitian election officials say former first lady Mirlande Manigat and popular singer Michel Martelly will face off in the presidential runoff election set for March 20.
The electoral commission's announcement Thursday means ruling party candidate, Jude Celestin is out of the race.
The long-awaited definitive results of the disputed November election differ from preliminary results, which put Celestin in the runoff with Manigat.
Riots broke out in December after the commission announced that Martelly was eliminated. Martelly's supporters accused the government of vote rigging.
The Organization of American States recommended in a recent report that Martelly be placed in the runoff instead of Celestin, citing irregularities and fraud in the balloting. The United States urged Haitian authorities to follow the OAS recommendation.
Adding to political tensions in Haiti was the surprise return last month, of former dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier after 25 years in exile.
A second exiled Haitian leader, former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, also contributed to the political suspense, after the government said it would grant him a diplomatic passport to return to Haiti.
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